Faisalabad city government launches anti-dengue campaign

FAISALABAD – The city district government, on the special instructions of the Punjab government, has launched a 12-day anti-mosquito spray campaign, targeting slum areas to wipe out the possibilities of dengue fever.
Inaugurating the spray campaign at Eisa Nagri a slum locality in the city, DCO Naseem Sadiq said the city government would do its level best to fight dengue fever in the city and had drawn out a plan to control its spread. Executive District Officer (EDO) Health Javed Umar, District Health Officer Dr Rana Shafique Ahmad and a number of other officials of the health department were also present on the occasion.
Briefing on the city government’s health plan, the DCO disclosed that 46 teams had been constituted to spray the city and rural areas of the district. “We have deputed 22 teams to spray the areas with mosquito fogging machines while 24 others have been engaged for manual spray in the streets, bazaars, stagnant water ponds and other possible sanctuaries of mosquitoes,” said Naseem Sadiq. The DCO vowed that the entire districts would be covered with spray for killing mosquitoes, flies and all other insects to save the people from the malaria, dengue and other seasonal diseases.
He claimed that necessary insecticides were available in plenty to take on the challenge. He announced that the union council secretaries and TMA staff had been associated with the spray teams of the health department to make the campaign result-oriented, comprehensive and successful. The DCO directed the officers and the staff to perform their duties in the field instead of sitting in the offices during the spray campaign. He said the counter inspection of the campaign would be carried out on daily basis to achieve the desired results. He also directed the officials to focus on the slum areas of the district especially during the campaign and leave no site unattended. He warned that in case of any complaint, the monitoring officer concerned would be held responsible.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has launched a rigorous public awareness campaign in the print media to educate the masses on the basic precautions required to avoid dengue fever. It includes covering the stored water in drums, water tubs and containers or tanks in houses. The citizens have been advised to spray their houses, shops and offices and keep them closed for one hour after spray to ensure that insects are killed. They are also recommended to arrange coil, mat, body lotion or mosquito nets. Doctors say there are four types of dengue virus, but the one that causes hemorrhage fever is the most dangerous and life-threatening.
A specific species of female mosquitoes is responsible for the spread of the virus. The symptoms include high fever, joints and muscles pain, vomiting and appearance of red scars on body. In around 20 percent cases patients may need the transfusion of white blood cells and platelets in their blood. The doctors further say there in neither any medicine to kill the virus from the human body nor is there an anti-dengue vaccine available as a preventive measure.
The research says that only female mosquitoes have an ability to suck blood from a human body that might be transferred to another person. These mosquitoes that flourish in clean water usually strike in the early morning or at the sunset.