Dengue: Shahbaz proposes ‘environment police’
Force would ensure that dengue control measures are kept in place.
LAHORE:
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has suggested that a permanent “environmental police” force be formed to make sure that there is no let up on dengue prevention measures.
Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting of a special committee set up to tackle dengue, he said that such a force should be considered as it would ensure effective vector control.
The chief minister said that public participation was essential to eradicating dengue so it was up to everyone to maintain a clean environment.
He said that a drive to eliminate mosquito breeding sites was going well. He told the chairmen of town emergency committees to visit trust hospitals as well as public hospitals and compile daily reports on the facilities there, and make sure they were free of mosquito larvae.
Sharif said that a film on how to detect and kill dengue larvae should be made to raise public awareness of preventive measures.
He praised officials for their work in identifying mosquito breeding hotspots like tyre shops and graveyards. He said parliamentarians should check the tube wells in their area and arrange for drainage of stagnant water and/or repair of leaking pipes.
Earlier, provincial secretaries gave detailed briefings on the dengue situation. The health secretary said that the number of patients was decreasing.
Death toll
Meanwhile, four more people died of dengue in Lahore on Wednesday, taking the total number of dengue deaths to 188 in Lahore and 209 in Punjab. 350 more dengue cases were reported in the province during the last 24 hours, putting the total number of infections at 15,783.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2011.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has suggested that a permanent “environmental police” force be formed to make sure that there is no let up on dengue prevention measures.
Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting of a special committee set up to tackle dengue, he said that such a force should be considered as it would ensure effective vector control.
The chief minister said that public participation was essential to eradicating dengue so it was up to everyone to maintain a clean environment.
He said that a drive to eliminate mosquito breeding sites was going well. He told the chairmen of town emergency committees to visit trust hospitals as well as public hospitals and compile daily reports on the facilities there, and make sure they were free of mosquito larvae.
Sharif said that a film on how to detect and kill dengue larvae should be made to raise public awareness of preventive measures.
He praised officials for their work in identifying mosquito breeding hotspots like tyre shops and graveyards. He said parliamentarians should check the tube wells in their area and arrange for drainage of stagnant water and/or repair of leaking pipes.
Earlier, provincial secretaries gave detailed briefings on the dengue situation. The health secretary said that the number of patients was decreasing.
Death toll
Meanwhile, four more people died of dengue in Lahore on Wednesday, taking the total number of dengue deaths to 188 in Lahore and 209 in Punjab. 350 more dengue cases were reported in the province during the last 24 hours, putting the total number of infections at 15,783.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2011.