‘It’s not easy being CM’

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said it was an uphill task to deal with the worst outbreak of dengue virus in the country’s history and a short, medium and long term plan for its eradication would be announced soon. He was presiding over a meeting to review the situation of dengue outbreak and the measures being taken by the government. “We are finalising a well-organised, modern and simple system for the supply of healthy blood to the patients and the registration for Punjab Blood Line will start from today (Thursday),” he said, adding that special camps would be set up for the same all over the city.
“Family physicians should play their role and under Dengue Control Regulation, it has been made compulsory for them to gain information and training in treatment of dengue patients,” he said, adding that the doctors should benefit from the training programmes being organised for them in various private hospitals in the metropolis. He said professors and senior consultants have also started visiting their hospitals in the evening while consultants were also visiting private and charity hospitals. “They examined 231 patients in 15 different hospitals on Tuesday and shifted five serious dengue patients to teaching hospitals for treatment,” he said, adding that the government was doing all it could.
He said training of doctors was also continuing under the aegis of Institute of Public Health and doctors and nurses of private and public sector hospitals were participating in the programme, adding that a system was already in place to review the standard of the training. He said besides Lahore, solid measures had also been taken in other effected districts for the eradication of dengue virus and high dependency units had been set up for complicated dengue patients, adding that these districts include Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Multan. He commended the efforts of Director General Parks and Horticulture Authority Abdul Jabbar Shaheen for improvement of cleanliness arrangements in washrooms and other areas of hospitals.
Later the CM also welcomed Dr Fernando from Sri Lanka who arrived in Lahore on Wednesday to lead a team of dengue experts. The CM said the Sri Lankans had made invaluable contributions to the eradication of dengue while Dr Fernando praised the role played by the doctors and nurses of Pakistan.
— suspends Services Hospital DMS: In a surprise visit to Services Hospital on Wednesday, CM Shahbaz Sharif ordered suspension of Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Qaddafi over poor performance and negligence of duty. He reviewed the medical facilities being provided to the patients in the hospital and inquired about their health. He also visited different departments of the hospital including laboratories and the Dengue Ward.