Epidemic control: Number of dengue fever patients crosses 300

Rafique says anti-dengue drive in Rawalpindi needs to be stepped up

LAHORE:

As many as 41 new cases were reported in the province on Monday taking the total number of reported patients this year to 301.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said it was because of coordinated efforts of all departments that situation in Lahore and Sheikhupura was under control. He said there was a lot of work still needed to be done in Rawalpindi. He said Rawal Town and the Cantonment had been worst hit this year. He urged the city government of Rawalpindi to ensure coordination between relevant departments and work hard towards eliminating the epidemic threat.

Rafique was presiding over a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue at the Civil Secretariat on Monday. Additional Health Secretary (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, Health DG Zahid Pervaiz and Additional Health Director General (Vector-Borne Diseases) Islam Zafar attended the meeting. The participants were informed that 38 people tested positive for dengue fever in Rawalpindi on Monday, three were reported from Attock. So far, 41 cases have been reported from Lahore.  Dr Zafar said 95 patients suffering from dengue fever were currently under treatment in various hospitals in Lahore and Rawalpindi. He said their condition was stable. He said the number of confirmed patients suffering from dengue fever was 301, “last year at around this time, the number of patients was 458”.

Dr Zafar said 41 patients had been reported in Lahore and 32 in Sheikhupura.

Participants at the meeting reviewed dengue fever control measures in Lahore, Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi. Officers of relevant departments and the Lahore Health EDO discussed dengue surveillance activities in the city.

Rafique expressed satisfaction with the measures taken by various departments. He said there was a need for stringent effort and effective steps to control dengue fever in Rawalpindi. He said that he was in Rawalpindi for four days to monitor the anti-dengue drive there. He said he would visit the city again.

Rehabilitating flood victims 

This is the first time that the process of distributing compensation to flood victims was completed within days instead of months, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday. He met with Governor Muhammad Sarwar to discuss measures taken to rehabilitate flood victims and various development projects in the province.

The chief minister said the process of payment of the first installment of compensation to flood-hit people had been completed. He said the speed and transparency of the process of provision of compensation was unprecedented. He said the process of paying the second installment to flood victims will start from October 20. The compensation covers loss of houses, crops and cattle. He said the flood victims had lost their means of livelihood and no effort would be spared in helping them.

Sarwar appreciated the measures taken by the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.