LHC seeks report on steps taken to control dengue

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought a report from the Punjab government on the steps taken to control dengue virus in the province and also the statistics of the citizens infected by dengue.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Shahid Karim was hearing an appeal filed by a local lawyer questioning the failure of the government to control dengue fever. The lawyer contended that Pakistan had seen a significant decline in number of Covid-19 cases but there were reports of a sharp increase in the number of dengue patients from various parts of the country, particularly from Punjab.

He said Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid had also stated that dengue virus situation in the province was serious but critical in Lahore. The lawyer stated that the hospitals in the City were fill to the capacity due to a large number of dengue patients. He argued that the government had failed to take timely measures to eliminate the dengue virus which was now playing havoc with the lives of the citizens.

The bench adjourned the hearing till the next week and sought the reports from the government. Joint efforts: Postgraduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Dr Sardar Muhammad Al-Fareed Zafar has said dengue disease can be brought under control only with the joint efforts of public health experts and people. It is the responsibility of every citizen to play their role in this regard, he stated. Doctors, nurses and paramedical staff would have to harness their professionalism in a coordinated manner for the diagnosis and treatment of seasonal fever and dengue fever, said the PGMI principal while addressing the participants in a clinical workshop held at LGH Medical Unit-1 to ensure treatment of dengue fever patients in which a large number of young doctors and nurses participated.

Prof Ghias-un-Nabi Tayyab, Dr Israr-ul-Haq Toor, Dr Ehsan-ul-Haq, Dr M Maqsood and dengue experts’ team briefed the participants on the symptoms, complications, diagnosis, precautionary measures and various aspects of treatment of dengue fever.

Prof Al-freed Zafar said that in the present circumstances there was no doubt that dengue has become a public health issue. He added that dengue usually affected the people with weakened immune systems while there were four types of dengue fever, but the patient has only one of the four types of symptoms commonly. He asked the patients of dengue fever to seek immediate medical attention. He said treatment and care of dengue patients in teaching hospitals was a highly technical issue as people with dengue fever were different from other patients. The medical experts said LGH and other hospitals had good arrangements for treatment of dengue patients. Talking to the media, the PGMI principal said the proportion of critically ill dengue patients was very low which was satisfying aspect. He said that it was the moral responsibility of the doctors to provide proper counselling to the patients and their families.