Fight against dengue: Minister grants Rs7.5m for fumigation drive

KARACHI:

As the dengue fever reached its peak with several hundred cases reported across the province, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the provincial Health Department have decided to step up their efforts to control the disease by initiating an extensive fumigation and awareness campaign.

The departments will focus on the slum areas where stagnant water and piles of debris, which are breeding grounds for dengue larvae, are found in abundance. The officials have been directed to ensure fumigation sprays were carried out twice a day in these areas.

On Saturday, the KMC metropolitan commissioner, Samiuddin Siddiqui organised a press conference to share the work done by the KMC with the media personnel at the KMC building. Siddiqui reported that the Local Bodies minister, Owais Muzaffar, had granted Rs7.5 million rupees to initiate the campaign otherwise the KMC would not have been able to do so due to the lack of funds.

He added that the government had also planned to launch an awareness campaign in schools to address the health related issues. He hoped that the students would be able to spread the message to counter the disease and help create public awareness.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2013.