Anti-dengue drive picks up pace in Pindi district

Official says significant amount of larvae found in Rawal Town, Potohar Town, Cantt areas

RAWALPINDI:

The health department has sped up anti-dengue drive in Rawalpindi district because during the ongoing dengue surveillance a significant amount of larvae were found in Rawal Town, Potohar Town and Cantonment areas.

District Health Officer Dr Ehsan Ghani said that they have tightened indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance systems by starting chemical spray in 116 union councils across the district. The monitoring campaign has also been started at the district and tehsil levels, he added.

Sharing details, Dr Ghani said that under the District Health Authority teams of men and women members have started their fieldwork in the Rawalpindi district. Each team has been given a task for an area of 25 houses. There are six teams of men and women working in each union council and their number will be increased. He said that so far only one female patient has come from Union Town 29 of Rawalpindi in dengue season.

However, the District Emergency Response Committee meets one day a week to monitor the performance of the teams working on anti-dengue in the field and to issue new guidelines.

Tehsil Emergency Response Committee meetings are being held twice a week in each tehsil, he added. In an effort to maximise the effectiveness of the anti-dengue campaign, dengue counters and dengue wards have been set up in three hospitals of the city including Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital.

Awareness campaigns are also being launched at all levels to make the anti-dengue campaign effective so that citizens can take the necessary precautionary measures to protect themselves from dengue fever. Pamphlets are being distributed and seminars and awareness walks are being organised by several organisations so that citizens may stay safe from dengue.

The authorities concerned of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) have been directed to utilise all available resources to control dengue in cantt areas. According to a RCB spokesman, Additional Cantonment Executive Officer (ACEO) RCB, Naveed Nawaz had warned the officials concerned that negligence on their part would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken on violations of the instructions.

All officials had been instructed to work hard to control the situation, he added. Solid steps were also being taken to prevent dengue in all housing societies in Cantt areas. Special teams would also be formed on an emergency basis in view of the possible spread of dengue mosquitoes. The ACEO had also directed the authorities concerned that special attention should also be given to the public awareness campaign against dengue.