Nip in the bud: Govt departments asked to speed up anti-dengue efforts

DCO says all-out measures being made to eliminate potential breeding-grounds.

Government departments have been directed to speed up anti-dengue efforts to contain the virus in August and September.

This was stated by Punjab Labour and Manpower Minister Raja Asfaq Sarwar on Saturday while presiding over an anti-dengue review meeting at the Rawalpindi commissioner’s officer, informed a press release.

Special assistant to Punjab chief minister Malik Salim Iqbal, Punjab Housing Minister Tanveer Aslam, Station Commander Brigadier Zahid Ahmad Rana, DCO Rawalpindi Sajid Zafar Dall, MNA Tahira Aurangzeb, MPAs Asfandyar Bhindara,
Raja Hanif, Chaudhry
Sarfraz Afzal, Lubna Rehan, Tehseen Fawad attended the meeting.

Moreover, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders Sardar Nasim and Shakil Awan, senior officers of the health, education, agriculture, environment, and other departments and officials of Rawal and Potohar were present in the meeting.

Sarwar directed that owners of tyre shops, workshops, hotels, plazas, CNG and petrol stations and other commercial places should take steps to ensure their establishments were dengue-free.

The DCO said the district administration was making all-out efforts to eliminate potential breeding-grounds of the dengue larvae.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi social welfare department has formed seven teams to carry out anti-dengue surveillance in selected areas of Rawal Town.

District Coordinator of Dengue Control Programme Dr Iqbal Haider said a high number of government officials have been trained to help eradicate dengue larva.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2014.