Public health: Steps ordered to educate citizens about Congo fever

The secretary orders contingency plan for dengue virus surveillance during Eid holidays

LAHORE: Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan directed health EDOs on Sunday to take steps to educate people about Congo fever virus.

He was chairing the monthly meeting of EDOs at the committee room of Directorate General of Health Services.

Khan said medics providing treatment to Congo fever patients must use personal protective gears. He said a contingency plan should be prepared for dengue mosquito surveillance during Eid holidays.

The secretary said the primary and secondary healthcare sector was being developed to provide quality health services at grossroots. Upgrade of district and tehsil headquarters hospitals was underway for the purpose, he said. He asked district health managers to work harder for completing development projects on time.

Khan directed the officials concerned to ensure that all equipment was functional at hospitals. He asked them to regularly visit hospitals for the purpose. He said focus should be on the availability of medicines and cleanliness arrangements at hospitals.

The secretary said attendance of doctors and paramedics had improved following the introduction of the biometric system.

The meeting reviewed the progress of routine immunisation coverage under the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

Chief Minister’s Health Roadmap team briefed the participants about the availability of medicines and attendance at health facilities. They also apprised the participants of the performance of vaccinators and functionality of equipment. Issues related to the procurement of medicines, TB, mother-and-child health, and malnutrition were too discussed.

Health Services Director General Mukhtar Husain Syed said an effective campaign had made the Punjab polio-free.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2016.