Awareness urged to stop spread of dengue

TIMERGARA: A one-day workshop on dengue prevention and control was held at the District Population Welfare Office, Balambat, to train male Family Welfare Assistants (FWA-M) in creating awareness at the community level.

The aim of the workshop was to mobilize communities through advocacy and awareness sessions, enabling them to adopt effective protection strategies against dengue.District Health Officer (DHO) Lower Dir, Niaz Muhammad Afridi, chaired the session as chief guest, while Abdul Waris, District Entomologist, served as the resource person.

Participants were briefed on the nature, sources, dynamics, and treatment of dengue. It was noted that September and October are the most critical months for dengue transmission in the region. The importance of preventive measures particularly the elimination of mosquito breeding sites and eradication of hotspots was strongly emphasized.

They were also informed about the common symptoms of dengue, including high fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea, and rashes, to strengthen early detection at the community level.

Speaking on the occasion, DHO Afridi underlined that dengue continues to pose a serious public health challenge in Pakistan, requiring coordinated preventive measures. He stressed that while clinical treatment is vital, proactive strategies such as community education and environmental cleanliness were essential to reducing the risk of outbreaks.

District Population Welfare Officer (DPWO) Lower Dir, Kinan Pasha, highlighted the role of family welfare assistants in creating community-level awareness through hujra and corner meetings. He said these forums are effective platforms to mobilize the public, promote safe practices, and minimize the spread of dengue. He added that capacity-building of staff under the Population Welfare Department would enable them to effectively disseminate information on dengue prevention within communities.