They are looking to produce a testing kit that would cost clinics and hospitals around $30 and take about 15 minutes to analyse blood samples for a key dengue protein. PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE:
Scores of dengue surveillance team members blocked GT road for two hours over transfers of team members on Friday.
Ghaffar Ahmed, a dengue workers’ union spokesman, said, “The administration has transferred 700 team members to far-off areas without asking them. This is is unacceptable.”
“The change in strategy is destroying the efforts of dengue workers,” added Ghaffar. “I request the chief minister of Punjab to take note of the matter.
Nine people admitted
At least nine people had been admitted to hospital with dengue symptoms over the last two months. The government had ordered the hospital administrations to establish dengue counters on an emergency basis to control the virus.
Defying dengue : Health minister irked by delay in reporting of cases
Dr Muddasir Ahmed at Mayo hospital requested the government to carry out extensive drives for the elimination of dengue.” He said most patients were being shifted from low income areas of the city to government hospitals as the areas were full of stagnant water. “People have little awareness over dengue control.”
Additional DG Dengue Control Dr Farrukh Sultan confirmed that 29 dengue patients had been reported in Punjab during the last five months.
Primary and Secondary Healthcare Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir directed the chief executive officers of district health authorities to accelerate anti-dengue measures.
He said effective indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance activities would increase the reporting of larvae which would result in effective measures. He ordered all departments to continue their anti-dengue activities vigorously.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2017.
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