Chairing a meeting of the cabinet committee on dengue at the Civil Secretariat though a video link from Multan, Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Kh Salman Rafique said that it was mandatory for private hospitals to have their doctors trained for dengue case management by the government’s dengue experts advisory group (DEAG).
He made it clear that action would be taken against hospitals that deputed untrained doctors for the treatment of dengue patients.
Dengue Control Programme Additional Director General Dr Farrukh Sultan briefed the meeting about the latest dengue situation in various districts. He also presented a report regarding ongoing outdoor and indoor dengue surveillance and steps being taken for control of the disease at the district level.
Dengue Research Cell Incharge Prof Wasim Akram said that special attention should be paid on indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance, and especially in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala.
DEAG Secretary Dr Somia Iqtidar informed the meeting that so far DEAG has trained 316 doctors at the provincial and 277 at the divisional level. She disclosed that doctors from Pakpattan, Khanewal, Mianwali, Okara, Hafizabad, DG Khan, and Bahawalnagar had not appeared for the training according to the given schedule. The health minister took serious notice of this and directed that doctors should follow the training schedule strictly otherwise disciplinary action would be taken against them.
Salman Rafique stressed the need for training nurses on dengue case management for providing effective medical cover and intensive care of the patients.
Technical Additional Secretary Dr Asif updated the meeting regarding the Congo and chikungunya viruses. He said that a few cases of Congo had been reported from Multan and Rawalpindi. All tertiary care hospitals have been put on alert and guidelines for the treatment of Congo patients have also been circulated. The meeting stressed the need for vigorous and effective surveillance of graveyards, junkyards, and construction sites to check dengue and chikungunya.
The minister directed that dengue focal persons of hospitals should tag data of probable and confirmed dengue patients on the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) dashboard daily. He also directed the medical superintendents of teaching hospitals to complete arrangements for dengue patients according to the released check list. He said that foolproof treatment facilities for dengue patients should be ensured in hospitals as dengue season has started.
Members of the Punjab Assembly (MPAs) Lubna Faisal and Pir Ashraf Rasool, Primary and Secondary Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan, Specialized Healthcare Special Secretary Dr Sajid Mahmood Chohan, Primary and Secondary Health Special Secretary Dr Faisal Zahoor, the housing and urban development secretary, finance department addl secretary, Primary and Secondary Health Addl Secretary Dr Asif, officers from the PITB, health, and other concerned departments also attended the meeting. Commissioners, deputy commissioners and chief executive officer of health from Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Jhang, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Jehlum, Multan, Attock, and Bahawalpur participated in the meeting via video links.