Sharif’s wrath: Health, education officials removed for failing to curb dengue

30 fresh cases reported in Rawalpindi.

RAWALPINDI: Failing to curb the spread of dengue in the city, the executive district officers of health, and education and the district officer of environment were removed and made officers on special duty (OSD) by the provincial premier on Sunday.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, while addressing a conference via a video link from Lahore, reprimanded the officials for failing to install the necessary medical equipment in hospitals and their inability to check the unabated spread of dengue.

He ordered officials of the health department as well the district administration to lodge cases against building owners where dengue larva is detected. He also censured party members including former lawmaker Hanif Abbasi, and directed them to visit every house to educate people about dengue precautionary measures.

He warned officials that any laxity or negligence will not be tolerated.

He held the officials in charge of the health, education and environment departments responsible for failing to ensure a robust anti-dengue campaign and directed the city administration to ensure cleanliness throughout the city, adding that special attention needs to be paid to indoor surveillance.

“Efforts against dengue and polio should be followed actively and elected representatives and government officers must launch a door-to-door education drive,” the chief minister said.

He also asked for checking under-construction buildings and ordered discarded tyres to be cut into pieces and disposed of properly.

30 patients tested positive

While several officials were made OSD over their failure to control dengue, 30 fresh cases were recorded at the city’s public hospitals. A total of 95 suspected patients visited the three hospitals on Friday.

Holy Family Hospital received 68 patients, of whom 12 tested positive for the virus. The Benazir Bhutto Hospital received 23, eight of whom tested positive, while 10 patients tested positive at District Headquarters Hospital.

This season, 800 people in Rawalpindi have tested positive for dengue fever including three who died of the disease. The health department has also detected dengue larva in 450 localities. An official of the department told The Express Tribune, “We cannot go house-to-house and force people to cover water in open containers,” he said.

He further said an extensive media campaign was in place and citizens were now aware of which preventive measures to adopt.

He said free-of-cost medicines are being given to residents including mosquito repellent and nets. “If you go and check, none of them will be using the items.”

District Health Officer Dr Khalid Randhawa informed that a case has been registered against the owner of Fresco Sweets, a private bakery, after dengue larva was detected in the shop by health officials.

In addition, food inspectors Malik Usman and Shahid were suspended and booked at the Waris Khan Police Station for attempting to cover up the case.

During a visit to Rawalpindi last week, Sharif had directed the health department to purchase new machinery for the dengue wards but to no avail. Despite repeated attempts to contact the Health EDO Dr Zafar Gondal to ask why the machines were not acquired, he could not be reached.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th,2013.