Rawalpindi : Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has advised the residents of cantonment areas to adopt all possible preventive measures to protect themselves from the dengue virus.
According to Cantonment Executive Officer, Imran Gulzar, the citizens have been urged that in wake of the increasing number of dengue cases, they should properly dispose of solid waste and stop uncovered water storage practices at their residences to prevent any access to egg-laying female mosquitoes.
He said mosquitoes breed primarily in containers like earthenware jars, metal drums, and concrete cisterns used for domestic water storage, as well as discarded plastic food containers, used automobile tyres, and other items that collect rainwater.
The CEO said that dengue is a mosquito-borne infection, which in recent years has become a major public health concern, adding, that dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children, and adults. He said that dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bites of infective female Aedes mosquitoes and informed that mosquitoes generally acquire the virus while feeding on the blood of an infected person.
The CEO urged the residents to play their due role and remove stagnant water from rooftops and other places besides cooperating with the anti-dengue teams. He said the citizens were also being educated and informed about the importance of sanitation, cleanliness, and preventive measures against dengue. Lady health workers during the door-to-door campaign were visiting houses to educate the community, particularly females about preventive measures against the disease, he added.
The main focus of the campaign was on public health education, he said, and informed that the sanitary staff had been directed to ensure timely cleanliness and proper solid waste disposal in all areas. The RCB teams were also visiting hotels, restaurants, workshops, tyre shops, and junkyard godowns and apprising the citizens about dengue and adoption of maximum precautionary measures against dengue, he said adding, that the teams were also removing stagnant water and dengue larvae from several breeding sites. The vulnerable points were regularly being checked and special inspection was being conducted to check dengue mosquito larvae, he said.
The CEO urged the citizens to adopt precautionary measures and remove stagnant water from their homes and rooftops as most of the dengue larvae and the adult mosquito are found in air coolers water drums and scrap items. According to the RCB spokesman, the board on the directives of the Cantonment Executive Officer had accelerated its ongoing anti-dengue awareness campaign. The board had initiated efforts as dengue had become a major issue and all available resources were being utilized to eradicate it completely.
He said that dengue larvae have been found in houses where water mains are choked, in water tanks, used and old tyres, water-filled and uncovered utensils, and accumulated rainwater. However, he added that the RCB management is utilizing all its resources to eradicate the disease, including clearing away standing water, nullahs, carrying out spraying indoors and outdoors, conducting daily door-to-door surveillance, and improving the drainage system. The spokesman informed that the authorities concerned with RCB had been directed to utilize all available resources to control dengue and accelerate the ongoing anti-dengue campaign besides strictly monitoring anti-dengue activities in all cantonment areas as September and October are very important regarding control of dengue.
