Fight against dengue: Govt to increase focal persons at hospitals

The Punjab government has decided to increase the number of dengue focal persons at all teaching hospitals in Rawalpindi for immediate response to dengue cases in the city.

Punjab Minister for Labour and Manpower Raja Ashfaq Sarwar on Saturday held a meeting with district authorities to review the situation, said a press release.

The meeting decided to increase the number of focal persons so that prompt action could be taken to eliminate larvae and dengue mosquitoes in the affected areas.

Sarwar also emphasised upgrading dengue treatment facilities at Rawalpindi’s Cantonment Hospital, as most of dengue cases have been reported from cantonment areas this year.

He said that fighting dengue has been given due priority from day one by the district administration and all government departments in Rawalpindi. “The Punjab government has mobilised all the resources to fight dengue in Rawalpindi and rest of the province,” the minister added.

Provincial Advisor for Health Khawaja Sulman Rafique said that a team of experts is stationed in Rawalpindi to provide technical assistance in combating dengue. He said he is supervising the campaign himself.

Rawalpindi Commissioner Zahid Saeed Commissioner briefed the meeting about the implementation of Anti Dengue Micro Plan with the assistance of allied departments and other organizations. Rawalpindi District Coordination Officer Sajad Zafar Dall also presented a report on the current dengue situation in the district.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2014.