KARACHI/LAHORE - Provincial Dengue Surveillance Cell of Sindh Health Department on Thursday confirmed another death of dengue patient in Karachi, taking the toll to 28 in the province. Meanwhile, Adviser to Punjab Chief Minster on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said that due to the consolidated efforts of various government departments and fully participation of masses in anti-dengue campaign the dengue situation in Rawalpindi is visibly improved whereas more attention is required on indoor surveillance and vector control in Lahore to eliminate dengue fever.
He stated this while presiding over a cabinet committee meeting on dengue, Thursday. Besides, Members Punjab Assembly, Khawaja Imran Nazir and Kiran Dar, Secretaries of various departments, Commissioner, DCO Lahore, Officers of Punjab Information Technology Board and Special Branch attended the meeting.
The secretaries of Health, School Education, Higher Education, Labour Department, Environment, Agriculture, Irrigation, Social Welfare and other officers briefed the meeting regarding anti dengue activities including indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance, larvaeciding and awareness activities carried out by their departments.
Kh Salman Rafique informed that Health Department had made clusters of public hospitals with the private hospitals for shifting of dengue patients to the government hospitals. Special Secretary Health Babar Hayyat Tarrar informed that aspirators have been provided to the experts to catch the dengue mosquito for testing of chemical reaction on the mosquitos and to identify the type of virus.
He further informed that so far 1,927 out of 2,086 dengue patients have been cured and discharged from the hospitals. Salman Rafique directed that provision of best diagnostic and treatment facilities should be continued to the dengue patients free of cost.