RAWALPINDI: The adviser to the Punjab chief minister on health on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over anti-dengue measures being carried out by Rawalpindi’s government departments.

He warned that if dengue epidemic occurred in Rawalpindi the “concerned government departments would be held responsible”.

Adviser Khawaja Salman Rafique directed that dengue control activities and surveillance continue during the Eidul Fitr holiday.

He was speaking at a meeting held to review dengue control measures at the District Commissioner Office. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Talat Mehmood Gondal attended the meeting, along with other district administration officials and senior officials from the relevant government departments.

Kh. Salman warns departments they will be held accountable if epidemic occurs

During the meeting, the DCO and other officials from other departments briefed Mr Rafique on indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance activities.

A senior official of City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) told Dawn that despite the pre-monsoon rainfall, the health department and the Rawal Town Municipal Authority (RTMA) failed to clear union councils in the inner city.

He said 1,100 sanitation patrols were hired, but these teams had not visited residential areas in the last two months, and the awareness campaign was restricted to CDGR officials instead of the public.

He said over 8,000 patients were reported last year between August and December. This year more than 25 dengue patients were reported at various private and public sector hospitals between March and June, which is unusual.

He said the anti-dengue campaign targeted urban areas but ignored UCs adjacent to Rawalpindi city and the cantonments.

“There is no record of dengue patients in private hospitals, basic health units and the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital, as the report given to the Punjab government was based on records collected from three government-run hospitals, Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital,” he said.

Mr Rafique said according to the instructions of the Punjab chief minister, all resources – including human resources – were being provided to the departments and institutions concerned according to their requirements.

He said a Dengue Expert Advisory Group had trained doctors and nurses to manage dengue cases, while field formations for dengue surveillance were also trained in their field.

Mr Rafique added that district governments as well as the provincial department were regularly monitoring anti-dengue activities to ensure that the dengue virus was being controlled effectively.

He said that because the government was providing the utmost resources and facilitating departments, no negligence on the part of any department would be acceptable.

He said the provincial government was active and closely watching the performance of all stakeholders. He added that due to the forecast of heavy monsoon rainfall, extra vigilance was required this year to check the breeding of dengue mosquitoes.

He said in addition to anti-dengue measures, a vigorous public awareness campaign was also essential for effective community participation.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2016