As a citizen of Pakistan, who has lost a young nephew to Dengue, it pains me when political parties makea joke out of this disease, which haskilled more than 320 people. At least the Punjab government is seen making an effort to eradicatethe killer mosquitoes andprovide some sort of medical relief to those who suffer, with an inadequatemedical health service system,to which the government contributes almost nothing. Majority of almost 90 percent of our citizens cannot afford to pay for expensive private healthcare and the government seems to be least bothered about it. No system of government, whether a capitalist, or socialist, can survive without a workable welfare system in place for poor masses. The Federal Government should have come to the aid of Punjab Government and the people who were facing this killer mosquito. This federal government, like its predecessor has failed to give priority to health and education. Now that health has been devolved to the provinces, funds should have been allocated andin view of this epidemic like situation in Punjab, emergency relief funds should have been allocated. My word of adviceto Imran Khan is to stop ridiculing the victims of this epidemic by calling Sharif brothers as Dengue brothers. His own mother died of cancer, which prompted him to build a hospitalin her memory. Cancer has not been eradicated, because it isa killer decease. Similarly Dengue is an epidemic which has to be collectively fought by the government and the people who live in this country.The people of Pakistan have to play their part. We must stop littering our cities with waste and stagnant water that breeds mosquitoes. MIR TASSADAQ, Lahore, October 29.