36 dengue cases registered in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Fumigation spray and other steps have been taken after 36 dengue fever cases were registered in the provincial capital, a meeting was told on Sunday.

District Health Officer Dr Gul Muhammad told the meeting that 36 dengue cases have been registered in Peshawar. He said that 20 cases were registered in Abdara, six in Achini, one each in Pishtakhara, Canal Road and Ring Road, two cases were registered in Landi Akhun Ahmed and five in other localities of the provincial capital.

The disclosure was made at a meeting about the dengue control, chaired by District Nazim Muhammad Asim Khan.The official said that effective steps have been taken for the elimination of dengue while awareness and cleanliness campaign was also launched in most parts of the district.

Speaking on the occasion, the district nazim asked the officials to utilise all resources for the elimination of dengue from Peshawar. He also directed authorities concerned to ensure availability of medicines for dengue control and sought reports from all the towns on a daily basis.

The district nazim also ordered steps, including fumigation spray in all the towns simultaneously. He told the meeting that he would personally monitor the performance.Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed to focus on high-risk areas particularly the tribal districts to prevent and control dengue virus.

Presiding over a meeting on the dengue prevention and control measures at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, he directed to expedite the recruitment of medical entomologists and provision of other facilities to the new districts.

He urged for effective coordination and effective mechanism with newly merged districts for healthcare facilities and said that health officers of previous and new districts would jointly supervise the health activities and Secretary Health would have the overall supervisory role.

The chief minister said erstwhile Fata had become part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “We have to resolve the issues of these areas on the fast track basis at any cost.”

Provincial Minister for Health Hisham Inamullah Khan, Chief Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch, District Nazim Muhammad Asim Khan, Secretary Health Abid Majeed, Commissioner Shahab Ali Shah and others attended the meeting, said a handout.

The meeting was briefed in detail about the dengue virus, types and nature

of its diseases, drivers and reasons of increase in dengue, the reasons behind rapidly spreading of dengue larva, the efforts for controlling dengue outbreak in 2017 and the strategy for dengue in 2018.

The participants of the meeting were told that after the dengue outbreak in 2017, the preventive measures were taken on a war footing basis. Provincial and district dengue control

units and rapid response teams in all districts were established.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Health (surveillance and response) Act 2017 was promulgated. A health emergency for dengue outbreak was declared in Peshawar district. The public health committee was also notified for inter-sectoral collaboration for dengue response.

The meeting was further told that a comprehensive plan with weekly timelines has been developed for 2018. Mahmood Khan appreciated the efforts made by the Health Department and underlined the need for a long-term planning and integrated coordination among district government and all line departments in order to completely prevent the dengue virus.