RAWALPINDI: Punjab Health Minister Dr. Jamal Nasir has said that it is the peak season for dengue and stressed the need for war footing arrangements to control the spread of disease.
Presiding over an anti-dengue meeting along with Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaqat Ali Chatha here on Monday, he directed that the teams of Islamabad and Rawalpindi administrations should carry out anti-dengue activities in areas which are adjacent to each other through joint operations for three to four days every week so that there was no room for ambiguity of jurisdiction.
Dr. Jamal Nasir further said that the polio campaign is also starting from today, but the health department should ensure that our focus on polio does not affect the anti-dengue activities. For said purpose, pull more staff from the allied departments if needed. He said that all the graveyards in Rawalpindi have been outsourced and the contractor will not be paid until the DGRDA does a third-party validation of the work done on the graveyard and Nullah Lai.
Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaqat Ali Chatha said that 19 private hospitals were directed to establish special dengue wards. He directed health commission to visit these hospitals and ensure the presence of dengue wards there and issue notices to the hospitals that are lax in compliance. He directed that all departments should continue anti-dengue operations and ensure strict implementation of SOPs.
The Commissioner said that houses, offices and surroundings should be kept clean and stagnant water should not be allowed anywhere as it is most conducive place for dengue spread. He directed all departments to mobilize their Android users and said that grass and trees should be cut in educational institutions and clean water should not be allowed to stand anywhere.
The CEO Health, while giving a briefing on the current situation of dengue, said that so far 272 dengue patients have been reported, of which 232 have been discharged after successful treatment. There are currently 40 confirmed dengue patients under treatment in Rawalpindi hospitals. He further informed that the health department teams are continuing indoor and outdoor operations on a daily basis.
Since January 1, more than 46 lakh houses have been checked in Rawalpindi, out of which 29,797 houses were positive. Similarly, more than 18 lakh spots were checked in hotspots checking out of which 5463 spots were positive and the required action was taken there.
He said that strict actions have been taken in order to hold accountable those who don’t not abide by dengue SOPs and become the reason of threat not only for themselves but also for others around them. In the last 24 hours, 43 FIRs, 05 challans, 03 buildings were sealed and a fine of Rs.61000 has been imposed.
The meeting was attended by Station Commander Brigadier Salman, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr. Hasan Waqar Cheema, Director General Rawalpindi Development Authority Saif Anwar Jappa, District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Zaeem, CEO Health and heads of other concerned departments in person where as Deputy Commissioner Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal participated via video link.
