Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has directed that steps should be taken on war footings for copping with dengue virus and departments concerned should evolve a coordinated strategy for this purpose.
The CM was presiding over a meeting to review the steps taken for eradication of dengue virus on Monday. Provincial Minister for Education Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Punjab Assembly members Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Afzal Khokhar, Dr Saeed Elahi, Dr Tahir Ali Javed, secretaries of health, local government, information departments, Health Services director general, Lahore district coordination officer and senior doctors attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, the CM said that every life was dear to him and all available resources would be utilized for eradication of dengue. He said that he would personally visit dengue-affected areas and would hold meetings to review the steps taken for dengue’s eradication in which elected representatives, civil society, locals and officers of departments concerned will also participate. He also directed the officers to further improve the process of purchasing quality medicines for eradication of dengue.
Shahbaz said that a comprehensive action plan should be evolved for protecting people from dengue virus and fumigation should be carried out in houses as well as streets. He said that committees headed by elected representatives should be constituted at mohallah level and members of the civil society and locals should be included in it. He said that an effective awareness campaign with regard to adopting preventive measures should be launched and special discussions and seminars, corner meetings should also be held.
He said that all elected representatives should supervise the ongoing campaign for eradication of dengue in their respective areas and submit to him a daily report regarding steps taken for elimination of dengue. He said that planning should be made beforehand for eradication of dengue and a comprehensive strategy should also be adopted in consultation with the experts in this regard.
He directed the officials to immediately provide the cell separators to Mayo Hospital and provincial ministers and elected representatives should visit the hospitals regularly and personally review the treatment being provided to the dengue patients.
Earlier, Health Secretary Jehanzeb Khan gave a detailed briefing regarding eradication of dengue virus. DCO Lahore Ahad Cheema informed the meeting that fumigation campaign was going on speedily for eradication of the virus and the third phase would also be completed by September 13. He said that a dengue awareness campaign was also going on and pamphlets were being distributed door-to-door for this purpose.
