Dengue mosquito, larva: chief minister Punjab begins eradication drive

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that a vigorous campaign for eradication of dengue mosquito and larva is going on. He said that the process of fogging and spray at godowns of old tyres, bus stands, railway stations, graveyards, parks and other places has been accelerated.
He directed that survey of water tanks in educational institutions, all towns and private housing societies should be conducted jointly with experts and an action plan evolved for this purpose and implemented immediately. He also directed to arrange training of doctors working in private and trust hospitals so that they could look after the dengue fever patients properly.
He was presiding over a meeting held with regard to reviewing the steps taken for eradication of dengue virus, here on Sunday. Members National and Provincial Assemblies, secretaries of various departments, members of Indonesian medical team and experts attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that entire government machinery has been fully mobilised for coping with the challenge of dengue virus. He said that elected representatives, officers and experts are working with the spirit of public service in the drive against dengue and through such passion other challenges being faced by the country can also be overcome. He said that according to the survey reports of the experts, godowns of old tyres and tyres placed at the open areas are the hot spots of breeding of larva of dengue mosquito; therefore, special attention should be paid to the spray and fogging on these places. In addition, fogging and spray should also be ensured in the ceramics stores and scrap houses.
He said that the working efficiency of government hospitals have been enhanced by providing additional staff and machinery. He said that the field hospitals set up on temporary basis are also providing treatment facilities to the dengue patients.
He said that besides spray and other preventive measures in the educational institutions, complete survey of water tanks of these institutions should also be carried out and Secretary Education should submit a plan for this purpose. He said that chairmen of town committees should visit the hospitals regularly and review the cleanliness and the medical facilities being provided there. He said that it should also be ensured that once the garbage removed from the places of the city should not be accumulated there and a strategy should be evolved in this regard.
He said that the programme of distribution of anti-dengue kits has been finalised and it is being launched soon. He said that fogging and spray should also be ensured in co-operative and private housing societies and action should be taken against those housing societies where residential facilities are not provided to the citizens.
He said that dengue virus is a social problem and the campaign against dengue is being moved forward as a movement in which all segments of the society have been included. He said that under "Qadam Barhao-Dengue Makao" campaign, citizens are being informed about preventive measures and saving from dengue by creating awareness through seminars, discussions, literature and CDs based on informative material. Earlier, chairmen of town committees, secretaries of various departments, Commissioner and District Co-ordination Officer Lahore informed about the steps taken for eradication of dengue virus. Secretary Health told that the working efficiency of High Dependency Units set up for the dengue fever patients has been improved. Seminars are being organised for training of family physicians. Secretary Education informed that the process of awareness through seminars in educational institutions is continuing and the students' teams are creating awareness about preventive measures and protecting from dengue virus by visiting door-to-door.