RAWALPINDI, Aug 27: Commissioner Imdadullah Bosal on Monday asked federal government organisations, including cantonment boards and Pakistan Railways to launch anti-dengue campaigns in their respective areas in all the four districts of Rawalpindi Division to avoid spread of dengue virus in the region.

“Punjab government has started the campaign to make the areas under its administrative control dengue virus free but its effort are useless if the organisations under control of federal government will not join hands,” said commissioner, while addressing a meeting held here at his office to review the dengue campaign in the division.

The meeting was attended by District Coordination Officers of all the four districts of Rawalpindi Division, including Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum and health officials.

The commissioner also directed the administrations of four districts of the Rawalpindi division to make arrangements to observe September 2 as anti-dengue day on the directives of the provincial government.

He said that seminars and walks would be held in the division to create awareness among the people about the preventive measures to avoid dengue virus.

He said that educational institutes should start zero period to create awareness among the students about the dengue virus and its preventive measures.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar also directed the government departments to make their offices neat and clean and warned stern action against the department head if larva of dengue mosquitoes found in government office during this week.He also asked the health department, Town Municipal administrations and Municipal service departments to intensify its efforts to make the district neat and clean during the current monsoon spell to avoid the spread of dengue.

Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) Principal Prof Dr Musadiq Khan informed the meeting that allied hospitals were ready to deal with dengue patients. He said that the hospitals made arrangements and established special wards for such patients.

He said that total 82 dengue suspected patients arrived in three government run hospitals of the city and total 80 patient tests were declared negative.

He said that the provincial government had provided all the equipments for the laboratory tests of the dengue virus.

Meanwhile, The Community Safety, Information and Training Wing of Rescue 1122, Rawalpindi has started awareness seminars against dengue virus in District Rawalpindi from Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority(ERRA) Headquarters, Islamabad.

The 23 officials of ERRA Headquarters are being sensitised about dengue virus threats, sign and symptoms, management, prevention, possible places of occurrence, spread of dengue virus, diet for dengue victims etc., by rescue trainers under supervision of Ms Deeba Shahnaz Akhter, Emergency Officer Community Training.

District Emergency Officer, Rescue 1122, Dr Abdur Rahman said Community Safety Information and Training Wing will raise awareness regarding dengue through such training sessions, seminars and awareness walks to minimise the risk of dengue virus.

Furthermore, Rawalpindi Arts Council arranged a walk to create public awareness of dengue viral infection. The walk led by Waqar Ahmed, Resident Director, started from Rawalpindi Arts Council and concluded at Double Road.

The walk aimed to highlight basic precautionary measures that people can take to guard against the disease. The staff of the Council, teachers, students and other notables of the area joined the walk. The participants carried banners and placards inscribed with precautionary guide line as well as treatment of dengue virus and importance of cleanliness.

The RAC has also set a counter to distribute pamphlets among visitors and general public to increase awareness and a short documentary on dengue has also been started before every program of this Council.