Dengue claims seven more lives in Lahore

As many as seven more people lost their lives in Lahore on Saturday, as dengue virus continues to play havoc with 627 more dengue victims tested positive and admitted in different government and private hospitals in the provincial metropolis. Those died are identified as Hafiz Jameel (42), Maimoona Khawaja (70), Ayub (40), Ghaffar (35), Mahmood Ahmed (32), Kajal (18) and Mohammad Azam (47).
The dengue patients as well as their families are facing hardship, as hospitals are overcrowded and doctors are unable to deal with huge influx of patients. In view of dengue threat, the City District Government Lahore has imposed section 144 in the provincial metropolis. Under this restriction, ban has been imposed on washing the vehicles on roads and keeping water tanks open.
Dengue patients are also being reported in Faisalabad, D.G. Khan, Sargodha, Mianwali, Multan, Rawalpindi and other parts of the province. During the last 24 hours, 627 fresh dengue cases were reported from across Punjab and out of these 607 were from Lahore.
A team of Sri Lankan experts, which is currently in Lahore, checked dengue patients at Jinnah Hospital. They briefed the teachers as well as doctors about the virus. They said that long-term planning is essential for tackling the disease. The Sri Lankan experts also got samples for analysis from different areas.
They called for reviewing the existing strategy regarding platelets and spray for curbing dengue virus. They made an appeal to people to avoid repeated blood tests and not to be scared of the dengue virus. In an attempt to help the growing number of dengue patients in the province, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in consultation with private laboratories and the private laboratories has fixed Rs 90/- as maximum fee for dengue virus test. He directed that implementation on decided rates should be ensured and action would be taken against the laboratories overcharging without any discrimination.
Experts emphasised the need to keep the city clean to curtail the spread of the virus. Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, in a meeting with industrialists, traders and NGO representatives apprised them about dengue control measures. Traders and industrialists assured the Chief Minister that they will take an active part in the campaign launched by the government for eradication of dengue virus as well as a programme of service to the ailing humanity.
The Chief Minister said that the government is taking all out measures for the elimination of dengue virus and public representatives, heads of the departments concerned and provincial administration are also making strenuous efforts in this regard. He said that the additional staff and machinery have been provided in hospitals for the benefit of patients and the arrangements are improving with the passage of time. He said that all dispensaries are also being mobilised and medical facilities will be further improved within next 48 hours. He said that besides government hospitals, free medical facilities are also being extended to the patients in the private hospitals.
He said that industrialists and traders should undertake protective measures in their respective areas and industrial institutions should also inform the people in this regard. He said that traders and industrialists can also extend co-operation in augmenting medical facilities in hospitals. Addressing a seminar, Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that dengue fever is a social problem and we have to defeat it with the power of unity.
He said that short-term and long-term steps are being taken for controlling this virus and hoped that the situation would improve substantially by the next year. Terming the Sri Lankan medical experts team as a "magic team", the Chief Minister appreciated their services which they are providing to the local experts for eradication of dengue virus.