Salman directs to start working on next year dengue control plan

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafiq has directed all the concerned departments to start working on next year dengue control strategy and plan. He said that stock take be done regarding availability of medicines, spray pumps, foggers and other equipments as well as requirements of financial and human resources so that in time actions could be taken. The Minister lauded the efforts of all the concerned departments and said that consolidated and coordinated efforts and hard working of all the governments departments and institutions have made dengue control a success story in Punjab. Kh. Salman Rafiq further said that learning lesson of dengue control is that any challenge could be effectively handled with the collective efforts.

He stated this while chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Civil Secretariat committee room, here on Monday. Senior officers of all the concerned departments, Pir Ashraf Rasool MPA, DC Lahore, DG Health Services Dr. Akhtar Rasheed Malik, Prof. Dr. Wasim Akram, Addl. Director General Dengue Control Dr. Farrukh Sultan and other officers attended the meeting. The DCs and CEOs of Health of other districts participated in the meeting through video link. Dr. Farrukh Sultan briefed the meeting regarding the overall situation of dengue in Punjab.

He disclosed that 4968 confirmed dengue patients were reported in 2016 whereas during the current year 1032 dengue patients have been reported. He observed that significant decline in the dengue cases is a great achievement of the Punjab government.

He further informed that during 2016, 402 patients were reported in Lahore whereas in 2017 only 74 dengue cases have been reported. Kh. Salman Rafiq congratulated all the officers and dengue workers for their tireless efforts for overcoming the dengue in Punjab. He said that dengue control in Punjab is a best example of collective and hormonal efforts of the different departments. He asked the officers of Punjab Information Technology Board to prepare an audit report regarding the anti-dengue activities of all the government departments so that next year’s strategy for dengue control could be prepared, keeping in view the experiences of the current dengue season.