Khawaja Salman declares training essential to treat dengue patients

Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG) has been imparting training of patient care and case management of dengue to the public and private hospitals as well as general practitioners, but some private hospitals despite invitation did not send their doctors for training, said Punjab chief minister’s health advisor Khawaja Salman Rafique while while presiding over a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Dengue at the Civil Secretariat on Saturday.

Punjab Assembly members Pir Ashraf Rasul and Nawaz Chohan, DCO Captain (r) Muhammad Usman, Labour department Secretary Farhan Ali Khawaja, Health Director General Dr Zahid Pervez, Health Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, senior officers of all departments concerned, Institute of Public Health Dean Prof Moaz Ahmed, Chief Minister Dengue Research Cell incharge Prof Waseem Akram, DEAG Secretary Dr Sumia Iqtidar, Health EDO Dr Zulifqar Ali, Health (Vector Born Disease) Additional DG Dr Islam Zafar, PITB DG, officers of WASA, LWMC, PHA and special branch attended the meeting.

The DCO informed the meeting that the maximum number of dengue larvae of this season is being reported during in-door and out-door surveillance.

He said that vigorous dengue surveillance has been carried out in the city at Union Council level and only in one day on the violation of dengue regulations forty-eight FIRs have been lodged, 17 arrests and 5 premises sealed. DEAG Secretary Sumia Iqtidar informed the meeting that the management of some private hospitals had not send their doctors for training of Dengue Patient Management and data of dengue patients admitted in private hospitals is also not being sent to the Health department. She said that treatment of a dengue patient by untrained doctors can make complications which could be harmful for the patient.

Rafique directed the Health EDO to contact with the private hospitals and convinced them to send their doctors for training by DEAG. He made it clear that despite the opportunity, if any hospital would not impart training to their doctors for dengue patients.

The hospital would not be allowed to treat dengue patients. Information department PILAC DG offered that dengue awareness campaign could be launched through FM Radio 95.

It was decided that dengue expert doctors from Health department would go to Information department’s FM Radio 95 daily at 10 AM and would transmit information regarding dengue prevention and guide to the listeners for the treatment of such patients.

CM Dengue Research Cell incharge Prof Waseem Akram observed that if the present high temperature sustain the breeding of dengue larvae will increase. Health Additional Director General Dr Islam Zafar informed the meeting that during the current year 69 confirmed patients have been reported so far.

He informed that the last year, during the same period, the toll of dengue patients was 193. He informed that 4 dengue patients were reported during the last 24 hours, 3 belonged to Rawalpindi while one reported from Sheikhupura.