LAHORE                  -                 Punjab Chief Secretary Major (r) Azam Suleman Khan on Wednesday presided over a meeting to review preventive measures against corona virus and steps to fight dengue and polio in the province. The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretaries of different departments including health, food, agriculture, industries, information, Commissioner Lahore Division and Chairman PITB, whereas divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners joined the meeting through video conferencing.

The Chief Secretary directed the health department to depute at least its two officers at airports to assist Civil Aviation and PIA in checking travelling history of passengers. The meeting also decided that the passengers, who would be declared suspected during screening at airports, would be kept in isolation in hospitals for 15 days.

Asking the officers of health department to join mock exercises being conducted by federal departments at airports, the Chief Secretary said that all relevant provincial departments should work as per the SOPs issued by the federal government regarding Coronavirus, besides keeping close liaison with federal departments.

The meeting also finalized the strategy to control dengue. The Chief Secretary ordered that there should be no stagnant water in tyre shops, warehouses, and on roofs of schools and other buildings. He mentioned that there was a need to enhance awareness among people about this deadly disease and directed the officers to launch an effective campaign in this regard.

The Chief Secretary asked relevant departments and general public to play their role in making anti-polio camping a success as eradication of this disease from the country is a national cause. He said that concrete steps should be taken for ending refusal cases and there should be a focus on achieving the target of polio-free Punjab instead of making comparisons with other provinces.