OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE Asserting that majority of dengue fever patients did not need hospitalisation, speakers at a seminar have said that rest at home with proper treatment is enough for complete recovery within 8 to 10 days. Addressing a public awareness seminar on dengue at Institute of Public Health on Monday, the speakers urged the dengue patients to take liquids, lemon water in access quantity. Dean IPH Prof Muhammad Yaqoob Qazi said that rapid growth in population and haphazard development in housing sector created various health problems. He said that due to over populated urban areas, more or less ten people were living in a single room. He said that population planning was the need of the hour to overcome growing problems. He said that every second person was suffering from blood pressure and out of six three persons were diabetic. He said that instead of spending huge budget on the expansion of treatment facilities, the government should focus on prevention side otherwise all budget would be spend on establishing more factories of insulin and blood pressure tablets in coming days. He said that dengue fever was public health problem which would only by overcome by the joint efforts of all stakeholders and with active participation of the community. He said that business mafia has created unnecessary fear and harassment among the people regarding the availability of platelet kits. He said that only 2 to 3 percent patients need infusion of platelets and those having platelets less than 20 thousand need hospitalization. He proposed that health education subject should be included in the school level syllabus to create awareness regarding hygiene. Chief Bacteriologist Punjab Dr Zarfishan Tahir told that as per direction of the Chief Minister Punjab, free diagnostic facility was being provided to dengue patients at IPH labs. DG Health Punjab said that due to change in weather and other causes the dengue virus surfaced early this year and according to the data the posh areas of the city were more affected. He said that such houses where the use of air-conditioners, desert coolers was common and big houses with lawns, fountains and flowers ports were heaven for dengue mosquito growth as this flourished in low temperature and stagnant clean water. EDO Health Lahore Dr Umar Farooq Baloch apprised the participants about the efforts of City District Government to eradicate the menace. He informed about the activities of fogging, spray and larviciding town-wise.