The breeding of dengue mosquito larvae has been successfully curtailed for the time being, but government and health officials must remain on high alert in the rainy season, said the head of the Chief Minister’s Dengue Research Cell on Monday.
Addressing a cabinet committee meeting on the threat of dengue, entomologist Dr Waseem Akram said that dengue mosquito larvae were breeding in very few places, but this could change after rains. He said that officials must pay special care to identify any mosquito breeding sites.
Various officials briefed the committee on steps taken to check dengue. The committee reviewed arrangements made ahead of the rainy season. Health Department officials talked about arrangements made at public hospitals for the treatment of dengue. The committee decided to send Agriculture Department entomologists to district governments to check data provided by their entomologists.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, who chaired the meeting, said that all departments concerned must be fully prepared to battle dengue.
Meanwhile, a Health Department spokesman sought to dispel rumours of a shortage of dengue diagnostic kits. He said that public hospitals in Lahore were stocked with enough NS-I kits to diagnose thousands of patients and could be supplied with more as and when required.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2012.
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