Northern Lahore declared sensitive: Dengue virus

[by DAWN Staff Reporter]

LAHORE, Oct 29: The City District Government Lahore has made the city railway station and its adjoining areas as focal point for its campaign against the feared dengue fever epidemic as the CDGL officials claim that the mosquito causing the disease has shifted to Punjab through passengers who came from Sindh to celebrate Eid here.

All the three dengue fever cases detected so far - Sarfaraz, 16, Fiaz, 45, and Ali Tariq, 18, - belonged to Misri Shah. Blood samples of residents of the locality are being collected to detect more such cases.

At a meeting of the CDGL authorities held here on Sunday with DCO Muhammad Ijaz in the chair, EDO (health) Dr Inamul Haq claimed that the `aedes’ mosquito shifted from Sindh when people from there came to Punjab on the eve of Eid.

So far 2,000 dengue cases have been detected across the country, most of them in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Dr Haq said all localities adjoining the city railway station and of northern Lahore like Misri Shah, Shadbagh, Naulakha Bazaar, Railway Road, Lunda Bazaar, Badami Bagh and Chah Miran had been declared as sensitive and were being fumigated with fog spray.

Out of a total of 1,650 lady health workers in the provincial metropolis, 35 had been deputed in Misri Shah for creating awareness about the disease and precautionary measures, he said.

He also claimed that 11 mobile teams had been formed for prevention of dengue fever, provision of specialist doctors and laboratories at all state-run hospitals had been set up where the required stock of medicines had also been provided.

Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has meanwhile directed health department officials to take effective steps for controlling dengue virus in the province and ensure availability of medicines for its treatment, says a handout.

The chief minister issued the directions while presiding over a meeting held here on Sunday to review implementation of the health sector reforms programme.

MINISTER: Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed claimed that his department had completed all the arrangements.

He said the availability of necessary medicines in all public sector hospitals would be ensured.

The minister said that health services director had been appointed focal person for prevention and control of dengue fever and he would be responsible to have close liaison with the medical superintendents of all the public sector hospitals, EDOs (health) of the province. He would also contact the allied

Departments, arrange procurement of all required items for the safety of medical and paramedical staff treating dengue victims.