Defying dengue : Health minister irked by delay in reporting of cases

Directs public health experts to carry out analysis of cases

LAHORE: Taking note of the delay in uploading dengue cases on the online dashboard by some districts, Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique said no leniency would be allowed in this situation.

He said this while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Darbar Hall of the Civil Secretariat on Monday.

“As soon as a dengue patient is reported, it must be immediately uploaded on the dashboard,” the minister said. He also directed public experts of the Institute of Public Health to carry out an analysis of dengue cases and to prepare guidelines for departments and epidemiologists to conduct research.



The dengue fever situation across Punjab was also reviewed in the meeting. It was started that indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance and awareness activities were regularly conducted in districts at risk. He said the situation was fully under control as only 13 confirmed cases had been reported between January 1 and May 7, 2017. Only three of these cases were from Lahore.

Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir, who was also attending the meeting, directed the departments concerned to take stock of the foggers and spray pumps so no difficulty arises in future.

Dengue Control Programme Additional Director General Dr Farrukh Sultan stated that surveillance was being carried out on a regular basis and this helped completely control the Zika virus and chikungunya.

The meeting was also attended by MPA Pir Ashraf Rasool, Primary and Secondary Health Special Secretary Dr Faisal Zahoor, Dengue Experts Advisory Group Convener Prof Faisal Masood, King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Asad Aslam Khan, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Syed Saghir Ahmed, Lahore Health CEO Dr Saeed Ghuman and senior officers of all departments concerned.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2017.