Shahbaz urges dengue philanthropy
The chief minister was presiding over a meeting of the Core Group and Special Emergency Committee set up for dengue eradication. The meeting was attended by the Sri Lankan experts, members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, secretaries to government and some doctors.
Sharif said that the government was planning to set up more than 1,000 dispensaries in the city and philanthropists and welfare institutions had been asked to take over these dispensaries and convert them into free treatment centres. He said 11 filter clinics had been started in the city to provide diagnostic facilities to patients, he said.
The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to accelerate the ongoing campaign against dengue virus. He said that an extensive media campaign should be launched to ensure participation of all segments of society in the movement against the virus. He said there should be a door-to-door awareness campaign regarding preventive measures to be taken against the disease.
Shahbaz Sharif informed the meeting that all available resources were being utilised for the elimination of dengue virus and a comprehensive policy was being implemented in consultation with the experts.
He ordered the Health Department to recruit 1,000 nurses to meet the shortage of paramedic staff. He said that private hospitals that were not providing free treatment as they had agreed to and laboratories that were overcharging deserved ‘no leniency.’ He said that calamities should be not taken as an opportunity for profiteering.
“Private hospitals and laboratories have a responsibility to supplement the efforts of the government.” He set up more committees and instructed them to speed up the campaign against dengue virus.
Dr Hasitha Tissera, the head of the Sri Lankan experts team, briefed the meeting about the dengue virus and the team’s findings so far.
He appreciated the steps taken by the government and the hospitals in this regard and said that the chief minister was “moving in the right direction to eliminate the virus.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2011.
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Punjab is worst hit by Dengue claiming several lives so far and putting others at stake. The Punjab Assembly legislators devoted the Friday proceedings to debate the issue. On Thursday, the heads of all political parties in the House decided to give full awareness to the legislators and discuss the issue of dengue in the House and then adjourn the House for indefinite period so that the elected representative could go to their constituents and apprise them of the issue. It was also aimed at supervising the activities of the government functionaries to control the dengue virus. But The Punjab government failed to give any guideline on it to the MPAs. The government has a few doctors in its team and among those is Dr Saeed Elahi, the worthy Parliamentary Secretary of Health Department and Dr Asad Ashraf, chairman of a committee on health. The government team counted the achievements of their leader, Shahbaz Sharif, praising his endeavours and narrating the tales of his (Shahbaz) restless nights and hard works of the days. They spent all their energies on proving that the Punjab chief minister was taking all steps in the right direction and there was no one more concerned than him. All the treasury members who spoke on the issue just sung the praises for their leaders . Dear legislators it is right that you are more loyal to our leaders than themselves but your constituents want some thing else from you steps for their welfare.
Labs minted money like there was no tomorrow. 500Rs for regular test, 2500Rs for CBC and another 2300Rs for a related blood test. Even 500 is out of reach for the common man let alone this. And yes it was Shaukat Khanum lab. I support SK and their activities but they should consider the plight of non-cancer patients too.
@ ALi
Shaukat Khanam main sorce of income for poor cancers patients is aids, charity or people who give zakat to them. Other wise almost 50% people pay their 100% expense, some 70% and few are with 100% free treatment.
no blame game concentrate only to eliminate dengue virus