Prevention campaign: Cut in dengue control budget

Additional secretary says hospitals well equipped to diagnose, treat disease.

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) has allocated Rs60 million for the prevention of dengue fever, as opposed to the Rs80 million dedicated for the same cause last year. 

Speaking to The Express Tribune, CADD Additional Secretary (AS) Qaiser Majeed elaborated that last year there was a need to procure platelet separation kits and other necessary equipment for early diagnose and treatment.

“Now, however, all major public hospitals in the capital are equipped with all the necessary medical equipment for the diagnosis and treatment of the vector-borne disease,” he explained.

On the federal capital’s preparedness to deal with dengue, the CADD official said a major portion of the allocation will be spent on advocacy and awareness campaigns.

Majeed further said that this year, efforts will be made to overcome all the shortcomings they had experienced last year, such as the fact that almost all patients were injected with platelets, even though the procedure is not necessary in every case.

On a PSDP project titled, ‘Prime Minister’s Initiative for Management of Dengue Fever and Pollen Allergy’, he said it had been completed at the cost of Rs39.50 million during the last fiscal year.

He added, however, that another Rs59 million plan
to be employed on the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) level was in the pipeline and is being processed for approval.

“The Planning Commission has also suggested that we include dengue awareness campaigns in the hospital budget rather than allocating a separate amount,” he added.

PIMS training course

Over 200 medical students at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) were handed over certificates on the completion of their training for the prevention of dengue. A ceremony was held at the institute on Wednesday.

Referring to the batch, Pims spokesperson Dr Ayesha Ishani said it was the first time these budding medical students from different disciplines including medicine, paediatrics, radiology have been trained to go in to the field to educate communities about the disease and preventive measures.

She said they will also be able diagnose the disease by examining symptoms and can also advise on treatment.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2014.