CS wants efforts to check spread of dengue expedited

PESHAWAR: Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry on Thursday directed the officials concerned to expedite efforts to check the spread of dengue in the province.He was speaking at a high-level meeting to assess and expedite dengue prevention and control efforts across the province.

The meeting focused particularly on districts experiencing a surge in dengue cases, including Peshawar, Nowshera, and Khyber. The chief secretary directed the health authorities, divisional commissioners, and district administrations to intensify their response and implement robust vector control measures to mitigate the spread of the dengue.

During the meeting, which was attended by secretaries of Health, Education, Information, Local Government, Public Health Engineering, Irrigation, and Finance authorities, Director General, Health, Dr. Muhammad Saleem, provided an overview of ongoing initiatives to combat dengue. It was informed that Peshawar, Hazara, and Mardan divisions have reported the highest caseloads, with October and November being critical months due to conducive temperatures for dengue vector breeding.

Expressing grave concern over two dengue-related fatalities in Nowshera, the chief secretary called for an immediate investigation, directing relevant authorities to submit a detailed report as soon as possible. He also instructed district health offices to perform rigorous inspections of healthcare facilities, ensuring that adequate isolation wards and designated treatment centers are in place for dengue patients.

The chief secretary underscored the urgency for the Finance Department to expedite the release of funds to the health sector, ensuring continuous operations and swift implementation of dengue control activities. He warned that the rising number of dengue cases in several areas demands an immediate and coordinated public health response.

Acknowledging the vital role of community involvement in dengue prevention, emphasised the need for widespread public awareness campaigns, particularly focusing on eliminating mosquito breeding sites. He called for intensified efforts at the micro-level, especially in high-risk areas, to disrupt the dengue transmission cycle.He ordered the Health Department and district administrations to submit daily progress reports on their dengue response activities.