Vigorous dengue surveillance ordered

Officials instructed to expedite procurement of medicines for hospitals

LAHORE:

A provincial cabinet committee issued instructions on Wednesday to improve dengue surveillance and procurement of medicines for hospitals.

The directives were issued during a meeting held to review measures for curbing dengue and smog, and improving the tehsil and district headquarters hospitals.

Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman said in the meeting that it was the responsibility of the deputy commissioners to ensure the provision of the best health and education facilities in the districts. He issued instructions regarding smog control, solarisation of street lights, and road construction and rehabilitation. He said third party validation of all projects would be done to ensure transparency and quality.

Health Secretary Ali Jan stated while briefing the participants that 315 confirmed cases of dengue fever had been reported in the province this year.

He said the DHQ and THQ hospitals were being revamped at a cost of Rs8 billion and the project would be completed by December.

Caretaker provincial ministers Dr Jamal Nasir, Dr Javed Akram, Mansoor Qadir, Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman, administrative secretaries of various departments and officers concerned attended the meeting while all the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.

Caretaker Provincial Minister for Primary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir said authentic data was very important for anti-dengue efforts. He said the department had prepared SOPs for quality control in private laboratories.

Caretaker Provincial Minister for Specialised Healthcare Dr Javed Akram said the anti-dengue activities should continue throughout the year and special attention should be paid to the clinical management of the patients to keep the mortality rate minimum.

Caretaker Provincial Education Minister Mansoor Qadir said that priority should be given to the recruitment of entomologists instead of sanitary patrol.

The provincial secretaries and other officials concerned of various departments attended the meeting, while the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners participated through video link.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2023.