ISLAMABAD:
As the government struggles against dengue, foreign help continues to pour in to help counter the epidemic. After Sri Lankan and World Health Organisation officials, a 20-member team of Indonesian health experts reached Islamabad on Saturday.
The team, headed by Dr Bambang Guritno, comprises dengue and environment health experts along with paramedics and has been sent by the Indonesian government to assist the local health officials in their fight against dengue. They have brought with them one ton of medicines, medical equipment, fumigation machines, blood analysers and lab material.
“The team has been sent on the request of the Pakistani government,” said Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia Ishak Latuconsina while receiving the team at the airport.
Lahore, which has been hit the hardest, will host these experts for two weeks after which they will give their suggestions to the Punjab government.
Local health experts appreciated the arrival of foreign medical teams in Pakistan, but pointed towards government’s lethargy and lack of planning as the main contributing factors to the spread of dengue. Among other factors, closure of the Malaria Control Programme was singled out as the main factor in the inability to control the epidemic.
“The Malaria Control Programme [that helped control dengue as well] was shut down, which was a big mistake,” said an official.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2011.
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