Pindi administration ups anti-dengue efforts

Health officials say dengue larvae found in 416 houses

RAWALPINDI: Rainy season is ideal for spawning of dengue larvae, making it more important to carry out fumigation and observe preventive measures, officials said at a meeting on Wednesday.

Surveillance teams have checked more than 60,000 houses in Rawalpindi and found dengue larvae in 416 houses, they told the meeting chaired by an additional secretary health Punjab. He directed to expedite indoor and outdoor surveillance activities in the dengue season.

While chairing a meeting regarding anti-dengue campaign, he directed the related departments to increase co-ordination between them so that no complaint was left unheard.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa said that the message of cleanliness should be promulgated amongst the public while wild bushes should be removed from anywhere they were found.

809 cases of dengue reported from Karachi this year

The officials from health department said that 849 people were examined for possible dengue virus of which only eight tested positive. They said the patients were under treatment in Holy Family and Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBGH).

The officials said 326 teams conducted indoor surveillance in different areas if cantonment boards, Potohar Town (Urban) and Rawal Town from July 2 to July 8. The teams inspected 69,830 houses of which 416 were found positive. Similarly, some 219 teams inspected 56629 spots during outdoor surveillance of which 41 were found positive.

Further in the briefing, the teams inspected as many as 4,126 spots during hot-spots visits in different areas and conducted related action there.

The meeting also reviewed refusal and non-attendant cases of polio.

Jirga on refusal parents

The Rawalpindi District Health Authority (DHA) and district administration organised a joint Jirga for thirty parents who refused to administer polio drops to their children.

The parents were however persuaded by the officials after elucidation. The administration would send special teams to their homes for vaccination.

Earlier, the refusing parents had raised questions on adverse effects of polio drops on human body. However, the health experts answered their questions technically and cleared doubts from their minds.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2019.