- Advertisement -
RAWALPINDI, Aug 05 (APP): In a proactive move to safeguard public health, the District Health Authority has significantly intensified its anti-dengue surveillance and prevention campaign across Murree and its surrounding areas.
The initiative, launched on the directives of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Health,
Dr.Ehsan Ghani, focuses on robust vector control, community engagement, and rapid response to protect residents and tourists from dengue threats.
According to Dr. Waqar, the spokesman District Health Authority, the health huthorities in Murree have ramped up surveillance and prevention efforts, which have coincided with an encouraging report of ‘no new cases’ in the last 24 hours. This means the district’s total for the Year remains at 34.
Dr. Azhar Abbasi, the District Health Officer (DHO) for Human Resource
Management, conducted a comprehensive field visit to Village Kohati to oversee the invigorated efforts.
The visit prioritized direct community involvement and the distribution of essential preventive tools.
“Our primary goal is proactive prevention. By working hand-in-hand with the community through traditional jirgas and modern awareness sessions, we can build a strong first line of defense against dengue,” said Dr. Abbasi during his visit.
He reaffirmed that the authority was leaving no stone unturned to ensure the health and safety of our residents.
“We are quipping residents with prevention kits and ensuring high-risk areas are secure is paramount”, he added.
Key activities during the Kohati visit included direct community engagement for which a community jirga was held to foster collaboration and educate residents on dengue symptoms, preventive measures, and the critical importance of early reporting.
“Dengue Prevention Kits were distributed widely, while protective nets were specifically provided to homes with confirmed dengue patients to break the cycle of transmission”, Dr Waqar informed and added that the health teams inspected the village, identifying and treating potential mosquito breeding sites with larvicides.
“Enhanced sweeping and sanitation drives were also launched in high-risk zones”, he added.
The authority has further demonstrated campaign’s scale in extensive surveillance operation in Kohati Village.
A coordinated workforce comprising 10 indoor and 6 outdoor teams visited over 250 households, conducting in-home awareness sessions and ensuring health protocols were being followed.
The comprehensive operation highlighted remarkable inter-departmental and regional collaboration.
The Lady Health Supervisors (LHSs), Lady Health Workers (LHWs), Field Support Persons (FSPs) and dedicated Sanitary Patrols (SPs) were included during the field visits.
Moreover, specialized entomology teams from Murree and Kotli Sattian, who were joined by experts from Rawalpindi to enhance technical surveillance were also among the supervising team.
The distribution of dengue kits in Khawatti was personally supervised by Dr. Azhar Abbasi, along with Waseem Shah (Focal Person, Murree) and Faisal (Dengue Focal Person).
The District Health Authority urges all citizens to actively participate in these efforts by keeping their surroundings clean, eliminating stagnant water, and seeking immediate medical attention for any dengue-like symptoms.
The intensified surveillance is set to continue throughout the season.