WHO teams visit Holy Family Hospital to inspect facilities for dengue patients

Govt officials, students, sportsmen participate in dengue awareness walk

RAWALPINDI: A team of World Health Organisation (WHO) visited Holy Family Hospital (HFH) Saturday for inspection of healthcare facilities for dengue patients in hospitals of Rawalpindi.

The team led by WHO representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala, examined healthcare facilities in the hospital and distributed special pamphlets carrying preventive measures against the virus amongst doctors and staff.

On the occasion, Dr Mahipala asserted that surroundings should be kept clean in order to eliminate dengue completely. The official appreciated the efforts taken by the government against dengue.

She added that they would review how many people have been affected from virus so far and would prepare a comprehensive strategy to eliminate it. She expressed that they had come to provide every possible support in the campaign.

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Similarly, the district officials including Rawalpindi Commissioner Saqib Zafar, Provincial Minister Rasheed Hafeez, MNAs from Rawalpindi, local sportsmen, students and a large number of people became part of the anti-dengue walk organised by Islamia Higher Secondary School on Syedpur Road. The participants were holding banners inscribed with awareness messages against dengue.

Talking to the media, the commissioner said that they were making every possible effort to eliminate the virus which had, undoubtedly, taken the shape of an epidemic in the garrison city. He added that the dengue ward had been setup in five private hospitals to facilitate the patients.

Zafar asserted that people and administration were required to work together to get control of the situation.

Meanwhile, the dengue outbreak continued in the twin cities despite the government’s efforts.

Over the past 24-hours, up to 210 more patients were reported in allied hospitals with 109 cases in Rawalpindi and 101 from neighboring Islamabad.

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Some 58 cases emerged from dengue sensitive area of Potohar Town whereas the remaining cases were reported from cantonment and city areas. After including the latest numbers, the total figure has escalated to 2,991.

As of now, up to 2070 have been sent back home after successful treatment in allied hospitals while the death toll stands at seven.

With the influx of dengue patients every day, other wards in the hospital have been transformed into dengue wards to accommodate more patients.

DC on dengue

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) Chairman Saifullah Dogar said that people and administration had to work in unison to eliminate the deadly virus.

The official visited RWMC awareness camp in the commercial market along with RWMC Managing Director (MD) Owais Manzoor Tarar and other officials.

On the site, the DC distributed the anti-virus awareness pamphlets amongst the citizens and talked with them. He pleaded the people to take care of their surroundings and their houses and do not leave water stagnant at any spot.

Furthermore, the MD said that the company was committed to providing a clean and disease-free environment to the people. He added that the workers of RWMC were working day and night for practical implementation of the clean and green campaign.

He asserted that maintaining cleanliness was the only way to fight the diseases.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2019.