Minister reviews anti-dengue activities

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHME) Khawaja Salman Rafique Monday directed the officers concerned to re-notify the Punjab Prevention and Control of Dengue Regulations immediately. He also directed all the Deputy Commissioners to enhance Dengue Surveillance and Vector Control activities for control on dengue breeding.

According to a handout, he was presiding a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Civil Secretariat. Officers of SHME, Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department, Chief Minister Dengue Research Cell Incharge Professor Waseem Akram, Public Health Experts and Dengue Experts Advisory Group and others attended the meeting. The Deputy Commissioners and the officers of Health Department of other districts participated in the meeting through video link.

Dengue Control Programme Additional Director General Dr Shehnaz briefed the meeting on present situation and dengue control activities in the province. The Medical Superintendents (MSs) of the Teaching Hospitals also attended the meeting. She said a summary for the regularisation of the dengue workers had been sent to the Chief Minister.

The minister directed them to screen patients coming in the hospitals with fever and other symptoms of dengue. He said underreporting of dengue patients would not be tolerated. He directed the meeting to furnish their rationale demand of recruitment of additional staff for dengue season.