Survey detects copious dengue larvae in Pindi
A large number of dengue mosquito larvae have been detected in the Rawalpindi district during indoor and outdoor surveillance carried out by Civil Defence officials during a third-party survey.
The detection of the larvae has not only baffled officials but also raised a big question mark on the performance of the district administration and the health department which had declared the entire district dengue larvae-free.
Sources said that dengue larvae were detected at several locations during the indoor and outdoor surveillance carried out by the third-party in the district.
According to sources, show-cause notices have been issued to all workers of the health department who had falsely declared the areas larvae-free.
Health supervisors and dengue workers of the health department, who had cleared areas, were also present when the third-party detected the larvae.
The detection of the dengue larvae has panicked top health and administration officials who had earlier claimed to have eliminated the dengue larvae.
Civil Defence district officer Talib Hussain confirmed that three teams carried out the third-party checking in Cantonment, Pothohar Town and Rawal Town.
He said that the list of cleared areas had been taken from health teams and their teams carried out checking by taking along the health supervisors and area health workers.
He said that a huge quantity of dengue larvae were found in the three areas. “We destroyed the dengue larva in the presence of the health teams,” he said adding that the dengue larvae were found in open ponds, graveyards, jungle, standing water in open places, houses, under-construction buildings and plazas.
He said that indoor checking was also compulsory and their teams will check houses daily.
Sources said that a report of the detection of the huge dengue larvae has also been submitted to the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner, recommending action against the negligent officials and health workers.
Rawalpindi Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Ansar Ishaq said that dengue larvae had disappeared in open areas, garbage, graveyards and open ponds due to severe cold.
He said that indoor places, under-construction buildings and underground water tanks were slightly warmer. “The dengue mosquito likes to live in indoor windows, closed doors, under sofas and furniture. The dengue mosquito lays its eggs in water in indoor places,” he said adding that “checking the dengue larvae in indoor places is difficult”.
He said that “if a house is cleared by a team 10 to 15 days ago, mosquitoes can lay eggs immediately after that”. He said that finding the dengue larvae is like a circle. He said that after the teams check an entire area, the first house is checked again.
“A house is checked eight to 12 times in a year to complete one cycle. Even if a house is visited three times and dengue larvae are not found, it could be found the fourth or fifth time” he said.
“Checking is routine work, sometimes dengue larvae are found and sometimes not, that's why frequent checking is done,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2022.