LAHORE, Aug 02 (APP):Punjab Health Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir have issued orders for registration of cases against the government offices where dengue larvae have been detected.
The directive came during the 6th meeting on dengue, infectious diseases and disaster management at the Department of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education.
Khawaja Salman, Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, emphasised the urgency of heightened vigilance following recent rains to prevent a dengue outbreak. He urged the administration of sensitive districts to intensify their efforts, with commissioners and deputy commissioners personally overseeing anti-dengue operations. He stressed the need for increased anti-dengue surveillance in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad and called for strict adherence to the meeting’s resolutions. He assured that the health department has a robust plan to curb dengue and other diseases, highlighting that government hospitals have adequate dengue medication supplies.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir expressed his concerns, noting the heightened risk of dengue due to the monsoon rains. He announced the launch of a pilot volunteer service project in Shalimar Town, Lahore, aimed at bolstering anti-dengue efforts at the grassroots level. He mentioned the use of red warning stickers on homes with detected dengue larvae and underscored the importance of reporting suspected dengue cases from private hospitals and laboratories through the Punjab Healthcare Commission. He also called for increased coordination with electric supply companies and railways and regular DERC and TERC meetings.
In the briefing, Khawaja Nazir was informed that Punjab had reported three dengue cases in the past 24 hours and nine in the past week. From January to August 2023, 15,182 cases were reported, compared to 220 cases since January 2024.
Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan provided a comprehensive briefing on infectious and epidemic diseases, supported by insights from officers of the Special Branch, PITB, and other departments.
The meeting was attended by secretaries of various departments and all commissioners and deputy commissioners via video-link.
