Depts directed to plan dengue control in next season

LAHORE

Provincial Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Kh Salman Rafique has directed all the departments and institutions concerned to start planning for dengue control in next season. He directed that gaps and weaknesses at micro-level planning for dengue surveillance should be removed in the next plan.

He appreciated the efforts of Rawalpindi DCO, all the government departments at district level and medical professionals of hospitals for overcoming the dengue epidemic and providing best healthcare facilities to patients in the hospitals. He expressed these views while addressing the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Civil Secretariat on Monday, according to a handout issued here. Pir Ashraf Rasool MPA, DG Health Punjab Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed, senior officers of all the departments concerned, including Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education, Primary and Secondary Health, Dean Institute of Public Health, members of Dengue Experts Advisory Group, PITB, EDO Health Lahore, Meteorological Department, representatives of DHA and Special Branch were present in the meeting.

The DCOs and EDOs of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Jhelum, Attock and Sheikhupura participated in the meeting through a video link.

Rawalpindi  DCO informed that only three dengue patients were under treatment in the Rawalpindi hospitals, which belonged to Islamabad. He said that situation was fully under control. It was informed that patients were still being reported from different areas of Lahore especially from DHA; however, the number of patients has been significantly very low as compared to the previous month. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the performance of different departments and steps taken for the control of dengue.

Crackdown: Crackdown against illegal profiteers is being launched in the province, said provincial minister for food Bilal Yaseen.

Talking to the price control magistrates in a department meeting here Monday, the minister directed all the price control magistrates to start surprise visits to Sunday bazaars across the province. He said it was our primary responsibility to ensure provision of qualitative edibles on market prices.

He said all the price control magistrates should ensure monitoring of Sunday bazaars with collaboration of district government. The officers of the food department and price control magistrate from various districts were present in the meeting. 

Bilal Yaseen said that under the vision of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif it was our responsibility to ensure quality vegetables, fruits and other basic necessities.

He directed all the officers  concerned to monitor the prices, standard of edible things and measurement scales in Sunday bazaars across the province. He directed to ensure the provision of onions, tomato, potato and other basic vegetables on market standard rates. He said a crackdown against the illegal profiteers would be started soon and those who found guilty would be punished.

He said he would himself visit the Sunday bazaars in various cities to ensure the monitoring process and those involved in overcharging would be dealt with iron hand.

Disaster Management: Provincial Minister for Disaster Management Mahar Ijaz Ahmed Achlana has said that the system of disaster management and provision of relief to the calamity-hit will be further improved. He was addressing to first departmental meeting after assuming the charge of Minister for Disaster Management Department, here today. Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority Khalid Sherdil, Director Dr. Khuram besides senior officers were present on the occasion. Director General Khalid Sherdil gave a detailed briefing to the minister on the aims and objectives of the department, its structure, future strategy besides the measures taken by the department for coping with natural calamities.

The minister said that though natural disasters cannot be controlled, however, the command system for relief activities and minimising the damages will be further improved.

He said that due to effective relief activities of PDMA, the efforts for dealing with natural disasters have met considerable success. He said the system of relief activities at district level will be further improved. He directed that telephone number of PDMA helpline 1029 be changed to 1133 for facilitating the masses.

Achlana said that he would soon visit departmental warehouses and the system of provision of relief to calamity-hit people would be made more effective with the help of information technology. He said that record of supply and receipt of relief items to calamity-stricken people would be compiled. He further said that the government was committed to serving the people and no effort would be spared in this regard.