Dengue claims seven more lives

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Another seven people lost their lives on account of dengue fever during the last 24 hours, raising the total death toll to 224, of which, 200 relate to Lahore.

Secretary Agriculture Punjab (Focal Person for dengue) Arif Nadeem told reporters at a briefing here on Friday that government is working for controlling dengue on permanent basis and besides strengthening concerned departments, efficiency of medical experts and other staff is also being enhanced and training is also being imparted to the medical staff. He hoped that due to comprehensive planning and the steps of vector control on permanent basis, the dengue will not become an epidemic disease in the next season.

Replying to a question, Arif said that mega cell separators machines have been provided to the southern districts of the Punjab and besides more such machines, effective steps will also be taken for dengue control at district level.

On the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister, a committee headed by Chief Secretary is evolving a unanimous strategy for controlling dengue so that this problem could be eradicated on permanent basis, he added.

He said that on the direction of Chief Minister Punjab, instructions have also been issued to the principals of medical colleges and Medical Superintendents of teaching hospitals to ensure the presence of senior consultants for treatment of dengue patients due to which the situation has improved significantly.

According to him, 16,320 dengue patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals in Punjab so far, of which, 14,024 belonged to Lahore. At present, 1,469 patients are under treatment in different hospitals of the province, out of which, 1,241 are in the hospitals of Lahore. As many as 261 confirmed dengue patients have been reported in Punjab during the last 24 hours, of which, 218 related to Lahore. The total number of dengue patients in the province has risen to 16,549, of which, 14249 from Lahore. Secretary Agriculture said that besides appointment of entomologists for vector control at town level in Lahore, the capacity building of officials has also been enhanced which has greatly helped in overcoming the dengue. He said that besides providing fogger machines and other equipment for vector control and dengue surveillance, services of entomologists will also be provided at district level in Punjab.