CM’s adviser says Punjab’s dengue control model praised worldwide. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE: The Cabinet Committee on Dengue was informed on Monday that six dengue fever cases had been reported across the province this season – two cases each in Rawalpindi and Attock and one each in Faisalabad and Sheikhupura.
Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafiq chaired the meeting at Civil Secretariat. It was informed that all the patients had recovered.
Dengue Control Programme Additional Director General Fayyaz Butt told the participants three dengue fever patients from Saudi Arabia and two from Malaysia had also arrived in the Punjab. They, too, have recovered and discharged from the hospitals, he said.
Officials from the Punjab Information Technology Board and Special Branch pointed to challenges in dengue surveillance activities.
Rafiq ordered that all shortcomings be removed. He said dengue control model in the province had been appreciated worldwide. He asked the departments concerned to continue surveillance activities. He said blood samples of suspected and confirmed dengue fever patients must be sent to the Institute of Public Health (IPH) for analysis. He said recommendations had been sought from various departments to upgrade dengue-related standard operating procedures of 2014.
Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah, Primary and Secondary Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan, Health Services Director General Mukhtar Hussain Syed, IPH Dean Moaz Ahmad and Chief Minister Dengue Research Cell In-charge Wasim Akram attended the meeting. Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan commissioners participated through video link.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2016.
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