In the wake of current weather conditions, experts have warned that fresh cases of dengue patients would continue to surface till mid January 2017. During the current year, as many as 2,582 confirmed dengue patients have been reported, whereas 2,313 dengue patients have been reported in federal capital Islamabad, said Additional Director General Dengue Control Dr Farrukh Sultan.
Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique, while speaking at the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue here on Friday, directed that disciplinary action should be taken against the focal persons of public sector hospitals for late uploading the data of dengue patients on dashboard of PITB.
He also directed that legal action also be taken against the private hospitals that did not report dengue patients despite getting training from the Dengue Experts Advisory Group.
Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University and Chairman Dengue Experts Advisory Group Professor Dr Faisal Masood, Dr Somia Iqtidar, Lubna Faisal MPA, Director General Health Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed, officers of all the concerned departments attended the meeting.
DCO Lahore Captain Muhammad Usman (Retd) suggested that during the cold weather, strategy for next dengue season should be revisited and the gaps pointed out during the dengue control activities in the present season also be rectified so that a more effective and comprehensive strategy could be planned for future. Professor Wasim Akram observed that since the weather was not so cold therefore, surfacing of few cases of dengue patients would continue till mid January. Kh Salman Rafique directed that the dengue surveillance activities should be continued to check the dengue breeding.