The season’s nigh: Civic agency gearing up to tackle dengue

Meeting reviews measures taken to stem spread of virus.

ISLAMABAD: A meeting to review preparedness of the capital’s civic agency in connection with the approaching dengue season was held here at the headquarters of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

Officials of CDA’s Health Services Directorate apprised the meeting that special teams have been constituted for effective dengue surveillance. These teams carried out larvicidal sprays at 209 and fogging activity at 262 potential breeding sites of the dengue mosquito, while spraying activity has been done at 538 different places of the federal capital.

The meeting was told that 5,850 samples were also collected to test the presence of dengue larva from across the city but not a single sample was found positive.

Teams of different formations of the authority have also channelised the seasonal streams and streams at 15 different points, while as a preventive and precautionary measure, the Internal Residual Spray (IRS) has been carried out in 15 houses and their surroundings where dengue cases were reported last year.

The health services directorate had been taking preventive measures through public awareness campaigns, and more than 200,000 pamphlets have been distributed among residents while more than 500 banners inscribed with preventive steps against the dengue virus have also been displayed at prominent locations of the city.

At the meeting, various formations of the authority have been asked to ensure proper sanitation system, removal of shrubs and wild bushes and repair or maintenance of sewerage and water supply lines in the city.

The CDA has asked the owners of shops, bakeries, restaurants, tyre shops to take all preventive measures against the dengue virus otherwise stern action would be taken against them without any discrimination under the municipal bylaws.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2015.