LAHORE - Punjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran Friday presided over the 4th meeting of Dengue Research Group. Vice-Chancellor University of Veterinary & Animals Sciences (UVAS), Prof Dr Muhammad Nawaz and experts from Punjab University, University of Health Sciences (UHS), FC College University, Mayo Hospital and Fatima Memorial System attended the meeting. Addressing the meeting, VC Dr Mujahid Kamran said the real objective of universities was to create new knowledge through research. He said funds were not the real issue but only our preferences. He said the present administration of PU, feeling the importance of research, had increased research budget from Rs 4 million to Rs 80 million during the last three years. He said the fourth meeting of Dengue Research Group had cleared the situation that who would carry out which part of research, how experts would collaborate. Dr Nawaz said the diagnostic aspect of dengue virus needed much work. Moreover, it should be noted that from where dengue mosquito was coming and breeding.. He said we should work hard and ensure that this virus would have no existence in the next year. He said research on carrier and reservoir of the virus should be carried out which would brief either an animal which was bitten by the mosquito becomes reservoir or not. Stressing the need for biological analysis of insecticides, he said unfortunately we did not have standards. Prof Dr Aslam said research should be carried out that what would be the effect of dengue fever on new-born babies if their mothers suffered dengue fever during pregnancy? Dr Idrees Khan said as many as 500 samples from Lahore General Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Ghurki Hospital and Surgimaid had been tested and the type of dengue found resembled 98 per cent to that of Indian dengue. He said last year 19 per cent samples were tested positive for dengue but this year this ratio had been exceeded to 41 per cent. Proposals and projects for research on dengue were also presented in the meeting. The meeting constituted seven committees including the fields of Entomology, Diagnostic, Virology, Vector Control, Medical, Social/Epidemiology and Environment & Ecology.