LAHORE – The Punjab Health Department has decided to provide free diagnostic facilities at all government hospitals, Punjab Health Director General Dr Aslam Chaudhry said on Thursday. He was addressing an awareness seminar on dengue fever at the Institute of Public Health (IPH). IPH Dean Dr Yaqoob Qazi, Punjab Chief Bacteriologist Dr Zarfishan Tahir and Professor Kokab Aslam also spoke on the occasion. Aslam said that the IPH is also providing diagnostic facility for this purpose. Community participation is inevitable to eradicate the dengue virus and people should ensure anti-mosquito fumigation in their bedrooms, stores and washrooms, the Punjab health director general said.
Speakers of the seminar said that people should not store water in open tanks and keep water pots fully covered to check mosquito growth. Aslam said that the Punjab government has taken all necessary measures to eradicate dengue mosquito but it is the prime responsibility of public health experts, family physicians and clinicians to create awareness about preventive measures among the masses. He urged people not to provide conducive atmosphere for mosquito growth in their houses, as the dengue mosquito flourishes in clean water and citizens should not leave flower pots, disposable plastic bottles and old tyres unattended and accumulated water should be drained out.
Dr Qazi said that the dengue virus is a comparatively new disease in Pakistan and there is a need to create awareness not only among the masses but doctors as well. He said that no government, despite spending huge funds, could control the dengue virus without the active cooperation of society. The IPH dean said that taking prevention measures in houses and protecting oneself from mosquito bites is the responsibility of every individual. Dr Qazi said that there was no need to panic, as dengue fever is a completely curable disease. Kokab Aslam informed the audience that dengue fever was a common disease in around 100 countries and 50 million cases were reported annually worldwide. She said that rapid growth of population had made the dengue a big economic and social problem and society should make consolidated efforts to get rid of it.
