Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique on Monday directed hospital administrations to send complete data of suspected and confirmed dengue patients to the Health Department for quick case response and vector surveillance.
He said an intensive dengue surveillance programme was required to check dengue mosquito breeding during the coming monsoon season.
He was presiding over a meeting of Technical Committee on Dengue at the office of the General Directorate of Health Services.
Rafique said the health EDOs should contact private hospitals and general practitioners for training and data collection.
He said the health EDOs and administrative doctors of public hospitals must read the dashboard of PITB website daily to stay updated.
He said tests at public hospitals should be carried out daily for confirmation of dengue patients.
He said Eliza tests should be made available at government hospitals’ labs. Rafique said the government had organised awareness campaigns on dengue for four years.
“It is time for people to be responsible for maintaining cleanliness in their houses clean and remove dengue breeding sites from their houses,” he said.
He said dengue regulations would be enforced equally.
Health Secretary Ijaz Munir, DG Zahid Pervaiz, Dengue Expert Advisory Group Chairman Faisal Masood, Epidemic Response and Control Additional Director Jaffar Ilyas, chief entomologist and CM’s Dengue Research Cell in charge Waseem Akram and Institute of Public Health Dean Muaz Ahmed were also present.
Masood expressed concern over the forecasted rains. He said more rain meant higher chances for dengue breeding.
He stressed the need for strict vector surveillance and sweeping of dengue eggs and larvae.
Jaffar Ilyas said this year, three dengue confirmed patients had been reported in the Punjab from Lahore, Sialkot and Multan. He said there were 48 suspected dengue patients across the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2014.