ISLAMABAD-Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza on Friday said that the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) was leading all-out efforts being made to prevent and contain dengue virus in the federal capital.
He said free diagnosis and treatment of dengue will be provided to all patients and no confirmed patient will be refused admission.
Dengue patients brought from a village contiguous with Rawalpindi have been treated in Holy Family and Benazir Bhutto hospitals and 90 percent have been discharged. There has so far been no fatality from dengue in Islamabad, he added.
The Dengue Control Cell is working round the clock and is in continuous liaison with all concerned departments, public and private hospitals, civic bodies, DMA and MCI. Islamabad administration is regularly holding meetings to review the situation and take immediate measures required.
The Hospital Based Surveillance System is in place as soon as the patient reaches a hospital and is confirmed for dengue fever the Dengue Control Cell gets information from the dengue dash board about patient profile.
The rapid response team is immediately sent to the affected area to contain further spread by spraying and fogging in and around patient’s home and 48 houses around the home with an aim to kill the adult virus laden mosquitoes. The rapid response teams are working since the last 2 months, Dr. Mirza shared. An aggressive preventive campaign is underway including identifying and destroying mosquito breeding sites, covering open drinking containers, removal of tyres, shoppers, plastic bottles and other wastes from roofs, draining water from room coolers and trays of refrigerators. Special teams of sanitary inspectors, malaria supervisors and lady health workers are in the field for the purpose. Additionally, social mobilisation campaign has been launched through lady health workers to create awareness among the local communities to educate them on prevention against dengue and eliminating dengue vector breeding sites inside and around their homes.
Dr. Mirza said highest level of vigilance was being maintained and dengue prevention and control effort was being closely monitored by his ministry.
He called upon the people to adopt preventive measures by maintaining cleanliness in and around their homes, eliminating breeding sites – water bodies, old tyres, bottles and cover open drinking water.