In a bid to curb the spread of the deadly dengue virus, the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has ordered closure of all swimming pools in the city for a month – both in the private and government sectors – as well as setting up of a central dengue monitoring cell at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
“Separate dengue cells would also be established at the town level so as to facilitate the people of the city,” Karachi District Coordination Officer (DCO) Mohammad Hussain Syed told the media at his office on Monday.
“An extensive campaign against the spread of dengue virus has been initiated in the city that would continue till November, he said. “An extensive fumigation campaign would also be carried out in the city from September 13 with the help of 60 spray vehicles,” he added.
Four towns will be covered daily in the morning and evening hours in the fumigation drive. Twenty houses around the house from where a dengue case would be reported would be focused for broad-ranged fumigation.
“Malaria coolies would be compensated with an additional Rs 100 per day during the campaign,” the DCO said.
Earlier, the DCO presided over a meeting attended by town administrators, town health officers and EDOs of the city government and representatives of the provincial Health Ministry and the World Health Organisation.
The DCO said that the city government will pay special attention to the anti-dengue campaign to protect citizens from the virus.
He said that the city government presently owns 21 spray vehicles; however it has acquired more vehicles on rent.
“A total of 50 spray vehicles would fumigate four towns daily. The remaining 10 vehicles will be kept on standby. Fumigation would be carried out three times a day and all markets and trade centres would be covered,” he said.
Syed said that all stakeholders including the management of industrial zones, schools, hospitals and other organisations have been taken on board for the campaign.
“The campaign will not be affected by shortage of resources as other expenditures would be curtailed to make room for it. The Sindh government has assured its support to the city government for the campaign,” he added.
