Sindh Chief Secretary Muhammad Siddique Memon has directed the management of KMC to launch anti-dengue spray immediately, for which 60 vehicles have been made available to them, while special grant of Rs 5 million for POL would also be provided. He directed this while presiding over a meeting regarding eradication of dengue from Karachi, held at his office Sindh Secretariat on Tuesday.
Dengue Control Programme Manager Dr Masood Solangi briefed the meeting about dengue situation in Karachi and said that as many as 1620 dengue cases had been reported so far and three patients had lost their lives. He said that isolation wards had been established and dengue kits were supplied to each hospital of the Karachi.
However, he maintained that since peak season of the dengue was going on, so an effective anti-dengue spray campaign needed to completely control the situation.
Commenting on the situation as briefed in meeting, the CS directed the management of the KMC to immediately launch anti-dengue spray in Karachi and announced special grant of Rs 5 million for POL purpose.
The chief secretary also directed all the deputy commissioners of the Karachi to visit their respective areas and get all the swimming pools closed/dried with immediate effect, put special vigilance on tyre shops and make owners bound to keep their water tubs checked/clean on daily basis. He directed the DCs to ensure the implementation of his directives by making personal physical surprise visit. He directed them to take severe action in case of any violation of his directives.
He also directed the deputy commissioners not only to take action against violators if any but also to update the Dengue Control Programme manager about their actions/steps & achievements. He observed that care was better than cure and asked the Information Secretary Imran Atta Soomro to launch awareness campaign in the print & electronic media to educate masses so that each individual and organization could undertake preventive measures to avoid and eradicate dengue menace from the society.
Health Secretary Muhammad Usman Chachar, Information Secretary Imran Atta Soomro, Commissioner Aijaz Ahmed Khan, KMC Director Masood Alam, Dengue Control Programme Manager Dr Masood Solangi; all the deputy commissioners of Karachi Division and other officials attended the meeting.