"On the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, 30,000 dengue kits are being distributed in Rawalpindi on emergency basis to control dengue outbreak. Dengue kits will contain mospel lotion, aquapura tablets to purify stored drinking water and awareness literature pertaining to preventive measures," Secretary Health Punjab Jawad Rafique Malik stated this while presiding over a meeting, here on Thursday.
Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed, DCO Sajid Zafar Dar, Additional Director General Health (Dengue Control) Dr Islam Zafar, Head of Chief Minister's Dengue Research Cell Professor Wasim Akram and officers of other concerned departments attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed the dengue situation in Rawalpindi and the steps taken by various departments to overcome dengue epidemic.
The meeting was informed that so far 1,980 confirmed dengue patients have been reported in Rawalpindi and majority of them have been discharged from the hospitals whereas 103 patients are still under treatment in public sector hospitals. In this connection, Dr Islam Zafar said there is a wrong perception that more than one patient are being treated on one bed.
The meeting decided that keeping in view dengue outbreak in Rawalpindi and Multan, the staff of government departments performing dengue surveillance duties would not avail holidays of Ashura and would continue performing their duties as usual. Secretary Health Jawad Rafique Malik said that all the departments are endeavouring hard to control dengue outbreak and necessary steps have been taken on war footing basis.