LCCI extends helping hand to govt in fight against dengue virus

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Dengue has become a social problem, thus all segments of the society will have to play their role for elimination of this deadly virus so that people could be rid of this disease on permanent basis.

This was the consensus developed at a seminar jointly organized by the Punjab government and the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

Speaking on the occasion, MNA Pervez Malik said that Punjab government has taken all necessary measures for protection from possible dengue outbreak and the work of indoor and outdoor surveillance is going on speedily. He said that we have to change our social habits for elimination of dengue.

He said that effective participation of community in the ongoing campaign against dengue is essential, therefore people should create awareness for adopting preventive measures against dengue at local level.

He said that every possible step is being taken for protection of human lives and this year the situation is much better than previous year.

Pervez Malik said that Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif is personally monitoring the ongoing campaign against dengue and instructions have been issued to all concerned departments and institutions for protection from possible outbreak of dengue.

He said that district administrations, all over the province including Lahore, have been put on alert and directed to ensure that the water should not accumulate in low lying areas and arrangements be made for its immediate drainage.

The LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said the Lahore Chamber is with the government and ready to play our due role in not only creating the much needed awareness about dengue virus but also make contributions for this social cause.

He said that re-eruption of this virus is expected to start and it is estimated that this year the numbers of affected people may get bigger as compared to last year’s. “We can prove this assumption wrong by adopting right strategy. We all need to equip the members of civil society with measures to deal with the problem beforehand. We must use all means of communication for aggressively launching anti-dengue campaign.”

Irfan Qaiser said that it is not the lone responsibility of government to do everything. Every department, company and home has to come forward for controlling the likely outbreak of dengue virus. Medical experts have stressed on spreading awareness on dengue virus instead of focusing preventive steps that create panic among the public regarding the disease in the forthcoming season.

Since this virus is transmitted from one affected human being to others so we have to make special arrangements all across the province. The government must make arrangements in far-off districts to tackle the virus effectively. The business community is fully committed to play its role and shun profiteering by providing preventive and curative medicines at affordable rates.

Punjab Chief Mobilizer on Dengue Shaista Pervez Malik said that emergency response committees have been activated and they are supervising graveyards, junkyards, tyre shops and hotels and get removed the garbage jointly with the concerned departments in their respective areas.

She said that people from all walks of life will have to play their effective role for making the campaign against dengue a success by realizing their responsibilities. She said that an effective participation of the community is utmost essential in this campaign and positive results will be yielded by participation of the masses in the campaign against dengue.

The LCCI Vice President Saeeda Nazar said that Lahore Chamber would extend every possible help to the government for elimination of deadly Dengue virus. She said that last year the LCCI gave away eight Complete Blood Count (CBC) machines to the Government of Punjab for their installation at various city hospitals and laboratories. And this year again the LCCI will actively take part in government campaign.

She said that the LCCI feels its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to rise to every occasion when distressed people of this province need help and assistance.