Post Graduate Medical Institute Principal Professor Dr Tariq Salah-ud-Din has said a hygienic lifestyle can help people get rid of dengue. The government, media, NGOs and civil society representatives must sensitise the public against dengue.
The professor was addressing a symposium on Thursday at the LGH on the topic ‘How dengue Affects Mother and Child’s Health During Pregnancy’. The symposium was also addressed by Prof Waseem Yousaf, Prof Javed Akram, Prof Rakhshanda Tayyab, Prof Muhammad Aslam, Prof Muhammad Yaqoob Qazi, Prof Nusrat Jehan, Prof Humayun Iqbal, Prof Shahina Asif and Prof Khalid Bashir. Doctors from different government hospitals of the city also attended the event.
Tariq said the dengue attack of last year was unexpected but that it can be managed this year through better planning, effective preventive measures and taking advantage of last year’s experiments.
He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif drew a line before dengue by stopping it with the help of dengue experts from Thailand, Sri Lanka and with the support of all the government departments. He stressed the need to wipe out this disease from the province by acting upon the policy of CM in ‘letter and spirit’.
Other experts, while addressing the participants, said in case of dengue attack on a pregnant woman; the child usually remains safe, however expectant women should keep in contact with their doctors and go through regular medical tests. They said pregnant ladies should approach government hospital instead of private clinics so that they may be treated by experts.
Prof Aslam said newborns and young children can be exposed to fever and spots on their body in case of dengue attach, however these symptoms vanish within a few days. He said that dengue patients should not take excess doses of medicines.
The experts also stressed the participant doctors to sensitise their patients and the general public about the preventive measures and hygienic steps that can be taken at home.
