Public health: Anti-dengue day observed at education, healthcare facilities

LAHORE: Walks and seminars were held in the city in connection with the anti-dengue day on Saturday.

The provincial government had announced plans to observe an anti-dengue day on Saturday.

Pamphlets containing precautionary measures were distributed among the public by various government departments.

Primary and Secondary Health (PSH) Secretary Ali Jan Khan led a walk from Directorate General of Health Services to the Provincial Assembly building.

Speaking on the occasion, the PSH secretary stressed the need for coordinated efforts by the government and the community to prevent a dengue fever outbreak. He said dengue was a public health concern and community participation was needed to fight the disease. He urged the public to ensure sanitation in their immediate surroundings.

The PSH secretary said that at present there was no reported case of dengue fever in the province. But, he added, treatment facilities had been put in place at all public hospitals to deal with any emergency.

Anti-dengue walks were also arranged at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lady Aitchison Hospital and at the University of Health Sciences (UHS).

At a walk arranged by the Agriculture Department, Special Secretary Hassan Sardar distributed pamphlets containing precautionary measures among motorcyclists and car drivers on The Mall.

Education institutions:

Many educational institutions across the province held walks and other events to mark the day.

Camps were set up at all Higher Education Institutions in the province where pamphlets were distributed among students and staff with information about the disease and precautionary measures to curb it.

In a letter sent by the Health Department, schools and colleges were asked to remain open on Mondays and Fridays during summer holidays to implement all dengue-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) at their campuses. It asked education institutions to submit a certificate stating that they were observing the SOPs. The letter said that the decision to keep the schools open two days a week during summer break had been taken at a meeting chaired Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique on July 11. It said only the staff was required to come to the school.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2016.