RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: All the government departments should complete their arrangements for next dengue season during cold weather.

Repair and maintenance of fogging machines, spray pumps as well as training of doctors, nurses by the Dengue Experts Advisory Committee Group and refresher courses for spray men also be completed.

Director General Health Services Punjab Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed said this in the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue, here on Wednesday.

Besides DCO Lahore Capt Retd Muhammad Usman, officers of all the concerned departments and Ms Lubna Faisal MPA attended the meeting. The DCOs and EDOs Health of other districts participated in the meeting through video link.

Additional Director General Dengue Control Dr Fayyaz Butt informed the meeting that during the current year 2558 confirmed dengue patients were reported in Punjab out of which 1084 reported from Lahore whereas 1156 cases belonged to Rawalpindi while 2310 dengue patients of Islamabad were provided medical treatment in the government hospitals of Rawalpindi.

He informed that during the last few days no dengue patient is reported in Lahore, Rawalpindi and other cities while reporting of dengue larvae has also been significantly lowered.

DCO Lahore Capt Retd Muhammad Usman observed that dengue regulations should also be revised for next season.

The meeting also constituted a technical working group headed by Prof Wasim Akram Head of Chief Minister's Dengue Research Cell.

This technical group would analyze the effects of insecticides on dengue mosquito and also check the immunity of mosquito to the chemicals used in fogging and spray and furnish a report in this regard.

DG Health Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed disclosed that a chemical laboratory is being set up in the department for analysis of insecticides.

He said that a PC-I of Rs.5 million has been prepared. He hoped that this project would be completed in next few months.