Start over: As summer beckons, dengue campaign to begin again in earnest
KMC, DHA, CBC to conduct drives.
"The media should print posters and advertisements as without public awareness, the drive on its own will not bear fruit," Pakistan Paediatric Society president Dr Iqbal Ahmed Memon.
KARACHI:
Ahead of the summer, civic bodies, including the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), have kicked off a dengue fumigation drive in their respective areas.
The DHA spokesperson, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that the campaign includes insecticide spray and oiling drives on all stagnant water, ponds, garbage dumps, nullahs and manholes and added that the drive is on. The CBC have also initiated their campaign in all parts of DHA and Clifton as well as the surrounding slum areas that also fall under their jurisdiction.
The KMC has started its fumigation drive in all six districts, despite its limited resources. KMC Collective Bargaining Agent union president Syed Zulfiqar Shah said only two districts are covered every day.
"The government has provided us only 40 vehicles for the drive," he added. "Our 20 vehicles are either out of order or are being used to clean nullahs ahead of the monsoon season. We are also facing a shortage of fuel and insecticide spray and the government must help us with that."
The KMC spokesperson claimed, however, that the fumigation drive is in full swing in different areas, according to the scheduled programme. The local government secretary, Javed Hanif, has also directed LG officials to conduct a campaign against dengue with the coordination of the health department in all cities of Sindh.
Pakistan Paediatric Society president Dr Iqbal Ahmed Memon suggested that the media should also play its part in the fight against the disease. "The media should print posters and advertisements as without public awareness, the drive on its own will not be fulfilled," he felt.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2014.
Ahead of the summer, civic bodies, including the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), have kicked off a dengue fumigation drive in their respective areas.
The DHA spokesperson, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that the campaign includes insecticide spray and oiling drives on all stagnant water, ponds, garbage dumps, nullahs and manholes and added that the drive is on. The CBC have also initiated their campaign in all parts of DHA and Clifton as well as the surrounding slum areas that also fall under their jurisdiction.
The KMC has started its fumigation drive in all six districts, despite its limited resources. KMC Collective Bargaining Agent union president Syed Zulfiqar Shah said only two districts are covered every day.
"The government has provided us only 40 vehicles for the drive," he added. "Our 20 vehicles are either out of order or are being used to clean nullahs ahead of the monsoon season. We are also facing a shortage of fuel and insecticide spray and the government must help us with that."
The KMC spokesperson claimed, however, that the fumigation drive is in full swing in different areas, according to the scheduled programme. The local government secretary, Javed Hanif, has also directed LG officials to conduct a campaign against dengue with the coordination of the health department in all cities of Sindh.
Pakistan Paediatric Society president Dr Iqbal Ahmed Memon suggested that the media should also play its part in the fight against the disease. "The media should print posters and advertisements as without public awareness, the drive on its own will not be fulfilled," he felt.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2014.