Public health: Dengue Day to be observed on July 23

Cleanliness drive to be organised at public buildings

LAHORE: A cleanliness drive will be organised at public buildings across the province as part of Dengue Day to be marked on July 23.

Addressing a meeting via video link on Sunday, Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed said all government buildings and public school campuses would be would be swept for dengue larvae on Dengue Day. He said public awareness seminars should also be organised on Dengue Day.

The chief secretary advised district administrations to remain vigilant during monsoon rains. “Sanitation teams must be mobilised for this effort,” he said. The chief secretary said dengue surveillance activities should be enhanced.

The chief secretary urged the divisional commissioners and DCOs to provide a list of machinery, insecticides, antomologists and other resources required to make dengue effective.

“Hospitals should also be prepared to deal with dengue patients,” he said. “Lists of facilities required for their care should be provided to the Health Department.”

The chief secretary said paramedics should be trained for initial handling of patients suffering from dengue fever.

He also directed sanitation petrol teams to sweep roofs of households and raise awareness on the importance of keeping the environment clean.

Saeed said the standard operating procedures for dengue control should be provided to all departments stakeholders. He said special attention should be paid to shops where second-hand tyres were sold.

He said the government would ensure all educational institutions in the province were sprayed with insecticide a week before they reopened.

Additional Chief Secretary Shamail Ahmad Khawaja, Environmental Protection Secretary Iqbal Muhammad Chohan, Local Government Secretary Naseem Nawaz, Auqaf Secretary Nayyer Iqbal, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2016.