Lahore - Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid has said the government was making all out-efforts for controlling dengue and providing best treatment facilities to the patients at public sector hospitals.
Addressing a press conference at Directorate General Public Relations on Wednesday, she said more than 10 meetings of cabinet committee have been convened for reviewing the anti dengue activities. Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Capt (R) Muhammad Usman, DG Health Services Punjab Dr Haroon Jahangir, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Asim Altaf, Dr Shehnaz and Prof Javed Chaudhry were also present.
Dr Yasmin Rashid said that Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has issued clear direction for action against those showing negligence in duty. She said that false reporting of facts and figures of anti-dengue activities was a condemnable act which would be dealt with iron hands. Giving details of the prevailing scenario, she said that so far 1869 dengue cases have been reported from across the province including 1722 from Rawalpindi and 45 from Lahore. Measures have been taken for reducing the price of test fee in private hospitals and free of cost in government hospitals. She said that health emergency has been declared in Rawalpindi for coping with the dengue challenge.
She said that insecticide spray has been utilized to eradicate dengue instead of fogging. She said that so far four patients have lost lives including one from Faisalabad and three from Rawalpindi. More than 500 workers have been recruited to surveillance teams to control dengue in Rawalpindi. She said that 700 beds have been fixed solely for dengue patients in Rawalpindi. She said that third party evaluation has identified false reporting on which departmental inquiry and action has been initiated against the responsible officers. She said that teams of Healthcare Commission have been activated. Doctors and paramedical staff were performing duties round the clock in government hospitals of Rawalpindi. To a question, she said a summary has been sent to Chief Minister Punjab regarding provision of medicines to the cancer patients. Steps are also being taken for overcoming polio and other diseases. She said that patients have been increased upto 17 percent due to the improved conditions of public sector hospitals.
Usman said that there was a dire need to improve the standard of surveillance. Activities have been carried out according to the SOPs. All the activities of anti dengue campaign can be monitored with the help of PITB software.
He stressed the need of making collective efforts as dengue was a social issue. People should inform the department in case of non-visiting of surveillance teams, he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Yasmin Rashid chaired a meeting of cabinet committee on dengue at civil secretariat. Chief Secretary Punjab Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Cap (R) Muhammad Usman, Special Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Mian Shakeel Ahmed, DC Lahore Saleha Saeed, DG Health Dr Haroon Jahangir, Additional Secretary Health Dr Asim Altaf, Secretary Labour Sarah Aslam, DC Rawalpindi Saif Ullah Dogar, Additional Secretary Salman Shahid, Dr Shehnaz, officers of Police, Irrigation, WASA, Special Branch, LDA, Meteorological department, Fisheries, PITB, Auqaf, Cooperative, Railway, Higher Education, Finance, Transport, Social Welfare, DHA Lahore and Environment attended the meeting.
Cap (R) Muhammad Usman briefed the meeting about the prevailing situation and anti dengue activities. Dr Yasmin directed measures for reduction of CBC test fee in private labs besides providing the same facility free in all public sector hospitals.
Instructions are being issued to the district administration to increase anti-dengue activities. She said that Chief Minister has also directed to take stern action against those showing negligence in duty. She said that all districts should send request for conducting third-party evaluation report. Private hospitals have also been directed to report health department regarding dengue cases. ICUs have been allocated for the dengue patients in every government hospitals of Punjab.
Yousaf Naseem Khokhar directed to improve the surveillance, monitoring and reporting. He also directed to conduct inquiry against DC Chakwal for not following the SOPs of fogging.
