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The last week of September is crucial for stopping the breeding of dengue mosquitoes and officials should remain on alert, Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said on Wednesday.
He said this while presiding over a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue at the Civil Secretariat.
“The last week of September is the peak dengue season. All the departments and agencies have to continue vigorous anti-dengue activities,” he said.
Rafique said that intensified outdoor and indoor dengue surveillance and elimination of larvae were being carried out. “With the approval of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, an additional 2,000 people have been recruited for the anti-dengue squad. The government would have to spend Rs120 million on their salaries,” he said.
Earlier, Lahore DCO Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman briefed the meeting about the anti-dengue activities in the city.
The DCO said 601 FIRs had been registered and 263 people had been arrested for violating Dengue Regulations Act during September.
Dr Islam Zaffar, the additional health services director general in charge of vector borne diseases, informed the meeting that 88 confirmed dengue patients had so far been reported in the Punjab. “Twenty-seven cases have been reported in Lahore, 28 in Rawalpindi and 24 in Sheikhupura district,” he said.
Rafique expressed concern over reports of dengue larvae and dengue patients from Ferozewala and directed the Sheikhupura health EDO to conduct a survey in the area. He also directed the officials to drain rain and flood water.
“When dewatering is not possible, biological and chemical means should be used to control dengue mosquito breeding,” he said.
Rafique said that dengue larvae were being reported from all towns. “Therefore, dengue surveillance as well as elimination of larvae should continue in these areas,” he said.
MPAs Pir Ashraf Rasool, Kiran Dar, Chaudhry Muhammad Akram, Parliamentary Secretary on Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, Lahore Commissioner Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Health Services Director General Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Additional Health Secretary (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, IPH Dean Prof Muaz Ahmad, Prof Wasim Akram, Dr Somia Iqtidar, health EDOs from Lahore and Sheikhupura, officers of the Special Branch, the Wasa and the PHA attended the meeting.
Ombudsman takes notice
Punjab Ombudsman Javed Mahmood on Wednesday took notice of non-payment of salaries to 2,589 employees who were working for anti-dengue campaign for the past three months. He issued notices to the health secretary and the health services director general. Mahmood directed officials to ensure the payment of salaries to the staff before Eidul Azha.
Employees deputed for the anti-dengue campaign in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Multan and Rawalpindi districts lodged a complaint with the ombudsman that they were not being paid their salaries.
They said that they had been making efforts to deal with the threat posed by dengue mosquitoes, but they had not been given any payment for their services.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2014.