While we are still struggling to get rid of the corona virus, the dengue fever has started to raise its head across the country, particularly in the areas of the Punjab province. One confirmed dengue patient and 630 suspected cases of dengue fever were reported in this week.
Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department statistics show that a new dengue fever patient was reported in Toba Tek Singh, following which the total number of confirmed cases in the province since January reached 51. The data shows that 48 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovery, while three are under treatment in different hospitals. However, no death due to dengue has been reported this year due to effective measures of the government, the officials claimed. He said the government was continuously working against dengue across the province.
It has been reported that all suspected cases are put under surveillance and their medical tests and treatment is being carried out. It has been further reported that the dengue larva had been found at 9,271 spots in the Punjab province during the past week. Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman highlighted that no causality had been reported owing to dengue fever during the current year. He urged the citizens to keep their surroundings clean and dry to contain the growth of dengue larva. He requested citizens to register complaints at phone number 1033 if dengue surveillance teams failed to reach their location.
Meanwhile, Lahore Division Commissioner Zulfiqar Ahmed Ghumman directed the officials concerned to start a comprehensive and massive anti-dengue campaign to make citizens aware about this viral disease. He underlined that the months of September and October are critical to halt the spread of dengue virus. He instructed the authorities to put all efforts in indoor and outdoor anti-dengue activities and surveillance. Though coronavirus cases have started to decrease, the threat is still looming. He directed the local administrations to check all dispensaries, basic and rural health facilities in their jurisdiction and ensure delivery of quality healthcare services to the people.
Despite of all these measures, several citizens are still concerned about the inability of the authorities concerned had heightened the risk of an outbreak in the province. They are worried about the rainwater that was stagnant in all grounds and parks in their neighbourhood even several days after the heavy rains but no government agency is paying attention to these breeding grounds of dengue virus. People are of the view that the chief minister, ministers and senior government officials are just making statements on media but no practical works is being done on the ground.
Amidst the increase in dengue fever cases, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had also expressed concern on the issue recently. He directed the officials concerned to run an anti-dengue campaign across the province. He said the provincial health department and local administrations would have to work hard to rein in the disease. He instructed all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to monitor dengue surveillance drives. He stated that standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the eradication of dengue and polio had been devised in the light of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines and their implementation was necessary to achieve the targets.
by: Abeer Arshad
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