KARACHI: Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui on Monday set up a committee comprising representatives of different civic bodies to work jointly to eradicate dengue and naegleria from the city.

The representatives of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, Defence Housing Authority, Pakistan State Oil, Karachi’s EDO-Health Zafar Ijaz and deputy commissioners of six districts would be the members of the committee.

Presiding over a meeting at his office, the commissioner expressed his dissatisfaction over efforts to combat naeglaria and dengue in the city and directed all departments to speed up their efforts.

He observed that no effective fumigation was carried out in the city against the diseases. However, officials of the KMC and the health department argued that the fumigation was not carried out due to financial restraints from the provincial government.

The meeting was also told that the provincial health department had not procured dengue kits while doubts were also cast on the chemical materials used for fumigation.

The commissioner directed the local government department to procure the dengue kits immediately and provide the same to the district municipal corporations and other departments concerned.

The commissioner was informed that the KMC, health department, the DHA and cantonment board had carried out awareness campaigns in the city for prevention of dengue and naegleria. Mr Siddiqui, however, observed that there were no banners highlighting the awareness campaigns in the city.

He directed the deputy commissioners to get help of the KMC health department in taking action against tyre shops, nurseries, and other places that could help in spreading dengue virus in the city.

The meeting also decided to take action against swimming pools that do not change their water on a daily basis and carryout fumigation.

The meeting was informed that two projects, including a Rs42 million project of the provincial government for dengue prevention, were not yet initiated despite their approval and amount sanctioned by the provincial government in 2013.

EDO-Health Zafar Ijaz told the meeting that 300 cases of dengue were reported in 2014 and six of them died.

He conceded that the figures were not authentic as there was no mechanism to collect complete data from all hospitals in the city.

The KMC’s Senior Director-Medical Services Dr Salma Kausar said that out of 765 water samples from KWSB lines, 583 did not have enough chlorination.

The KWSB focal person on dengue and naegleria, Azam Khan, said that they had carried out chlorination in various parts of the city and the process was still continuing.

The commissioner also directed the KWSB to stop leakages from its lines to prevent spread of dengue.

Dr Kausar informed the meeting that 80 per cent process for halting larva cycle activity in the city had been completed and the remaining would be completed soon.

She said that in case of rains, the whole process would be badly affected.

The commissioner directed all departments concerned to form a joint strategy to combat the diseases after monsoon season.

Published in Dawn, July 8th , 2014