RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that it is mandatory for private hospitals to ensure training of their doctors regarding case management of dengue through Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG).

While chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee on dengue on Friday, Salman made it clear that action would be taken against those hospitals who would depute untrained doctors for the treatment of dengue patients.

Besides, members Punjab Assembly, Lubna Faisal, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan and other officials attended the meeting. Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officer of Health from Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Jhang, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Jehlum, Multan, Attock and Bahawalpur participated in the meeting via video link.

Additional Director General Health Dengue Control Programme Dr. Farrukh Sultan briefed the meeting about the latest dengue situation in various districts. He also presented report regarding the ongoing outdoor, indoor dengue surveillance and steps taken for the control of dengue at district level.

In-charge, Chief Minister Dengue Research Cell Prof. Wasim Akram said that special attention should be paid on indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance especially in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Gujranwala.

Secretary DEAG Dr. Somia Iqtidar informed the meeting that so far DEAG has been trained 316 doctors at provincial level while 277 doctors have been imparted training at divisional level. She disclosed that doctors from Pakpattan, Khanewal, Mianwali, Okara, Hafizabad, DG Khan and Bahawalnagar did not appear in the training on the given schedule.

The meeting stressed the need of vigorous and effective surveillance of graveyards, junkyards and under-construction sites to check the dengue and chikungunya.

Khawaja Salman Rafique directed that dengue focal persons of the hospitals should tag data of probable and confirmed dengue patients on PITB Dashboard on daily basis.