Spray of pesticide at graveyards ordered. PHOTO: NNI
LAHORE: Local Government and Community Development Department and the city district governments have been directed to spray all graveyards in the province with anti-dengue mosquito insecticides ahead of Eid as several people visit graveyards to offer fateha prayers for their dear departed, Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said on Monday.
He was presiding over a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue at the civil secretariat. Parliamentary Secretary on Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, MPA Lubna Faisal, Health Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik, Health Services Director General Zahid Pervez and Chief Entomologist Waseem Akram attended the meeting. The commissioners and DCOs of Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Rawalpindi participated through video link.
Rafique issued instructions to the Auqaf Department to clean all mosques in the city ahead of Eid.
Akram said more than 700 confirmed cases of dengue fever had been reported in Karachi so far. “A lot of people from Karachi travel to various cities in the Punjab for Eid holidays…therefore, all relevant departments must be on high alert.”
Rafique said the recent rains and drop in temperature had increased chances of dengue larvae breeding.
Jawwad Rafique Malik took note of a report by the Special Branch about stagnant water and algae near the Wagha Town BHU and directed the Lahore Health EDO to take immediate steps to drain water and remove wild growth there. He also directed officials of the WASA and the Solid Waste Management Company to take special measures to drain water and dispose of solid waste during monsoon season.
Salman Rafique issued directions for strict surveillance of dengue mosquitoes in Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2015.
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