April 11, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, April 10: The Ministry of Health on Tuesday unveiled a national strategy to control the outbreak of dengue fever, a problem that is so far centred in Karachi.

According to the strategy, the National Institute of Health and Malaria Control Programme would work in collaboration with provincial and district health departments.

Speaking at a news conference here, federal Health Minister Nasir Khan said that four major aspects of the national strategy were vector control, case management, surveillance, and behavioural change.

Focal persons being appointed for the programme would include two at the federal-level, one each at the provincial and one each in high risk districts.

Technical assistance would be provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Almost 6,000 patients were tested positive for dengue in the past year after the disease broke out in June. Some 50 patients died. However, the disease remained mostly centred in Karachi.

Experts have warned that the disease might resurface and spread across the country, particularly in Karachi, any time.

Earlier, the minister inaugurated a project for the upgradation of the National Institute for Handicapped, which includes construction of a new block for attendants of the patients, vocational training, non-formal education, day-care centre and prayer place.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the minister said that the long-term goals were to develop, implement and manage a national strategy for the prevention of disability and for comprehensive rehabilitation of the disabled people based on an integrated, participatory and decentralised approach towards services delivery.