Lahore District Coordination Officer (DCO) Ahad Cheema on Friday admitted in the Lahore High Court (LHC) that the use of sub-standard anti-dengue spray in the city last year resulted into massive production of dengue mosquitoes this year. The DCO alleged that former Health EDO Dr Fayaz Ranjha was responsible for the sub-standard spray but it was not known whether any action was taken against the EDO.
Cheema also maintained that it would take around ten years to overcome the virus. “Once the virus transforms into epidemic, it takes several years to eliminate the virus,” he explained in court. At this, LHC Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry called for Additional Inspector General Aftab Sultan, who was holding an enquiry to fix responsibility of delayed measures taken by government officials to control dengue.
The court also issued notices to the federal and provincial governments and Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on a petition seeking registration of murder cases against authorities concerned for deaths due to dengue.