RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafiq has directed all the deputy commissioners of dengue sensitive districts to conduct third-party validation of indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance, to ensure adoption of effective measures to check its breeding.

While presiding over a meeting of cabinet committee on dengue, here Monday, Salman said that rainy season has been commenced due to that hotspots of dengue breeding would naturally increase, which should be eradicated through effective surveillance and chemically as well as mechanically.

He further directed that accumulated water in tree-holes should also be checked in such areas where dengue patients are being reported but larvae are not detected.

Special Secretary Specialized Healthcare Dr. Sajid Mehmood Chohan, Special Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Dr. Faisal Zahoor, Pir Ashraf Rasool MPA from Sheikhupura, Muhammad Hanif MPA from Rawalpindi, secretaries, additional secretaries of the concerned departments, public health experts, Deputy Commissioner Lahore Syed Sumair Ahmad, Prof. Faisal Masood, Prof. Wasim Akram, officers from PITB and other concerned officers attended the meeting while Deputy Commissioners and CEOs Health of other districts participated in the meeting through video link.

Additional Director General Dengue Control Dr. Farrukh Sultan presented overall scenario of dengue in the province. He added that during the first six months of the current year, 36 patients have so far been reported in Punjab out of which 12 belong to Lahore. He informed that sufficient stock of chemical is available with the department and the districts can obtain these chemicals according to their need.

Salman directed to call a meeting of technical committee to review the present dengue situation and submit their recommendations for effective control on dengue in coming days.