Integrated data platform for dengue surveillance in Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid chaired the Cabinet meeting on dengue prevention at the Civil Secretariat here Thursday.

Punjab Auqaf Minister Saeedul Hassan Jaffery, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Captain (R) Muhammad Usman Younus, Deputy Commissioner Lahore Danish Afzal, CEO Health Lahore Dr Shaoib Gurmani, officials of the Police Department, Higher Education Department, Special Branch, Food, Fisheries, Public Relations, Livestock, Cooperative and other departments attended the meeting while the commissioners and deputy commissioners joined via video link conference.

Health minister reviewed the arrangements for the control of dengue in Punjab. Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Captain (R) Usman Younus apprised the minister of the measures taken for the prevention and control of dengue epidemic as well as the status of treatment facilities for the patients in the province.

The minister directed all commissioners and deputy commissioners to personally supervise and monitor the dengue prevention activities in their respective districts and divisions. The surveillance teams must take action after identification of the hotsopts to eliminate dengue larva. All the statistics of public and private labs must be integrated on one platform. She urged the general public to take precautionary measures and implement dengue SOPs.

The surveillance teams must be immediately mobilised to eliminate dengue larva across the province. Irresponsible and inaccurate data about dengue will not be tolerated. On the directions of the chief minister, the department is taking all measures to control corona virus, polio and dengue. Weekly review of the dengue progress will be undertaken.” The all-out measures are being taken in Punjab hospitals to control dengue, she said.