RAWALPINDI: On the instructions of the Punjab government, the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) observed an anti-dengue day on Sunday.

The day included a cleanliness drive and walks to raise awareness regarding ways to prevent dengue virus.

The CDGR cancelled the weekly holiday for all local government officials on Sunday and carried out dengue mosquito surveillance in their offices.

Teachers and staff at schools and colleges were also called to supervise the cleanliness drives at their institutions.

An anti-dengue walk led by Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) Resident Director Waqar Ahmed started from the Council passing through Double Road ended at Nawaz Sharif Park Murree Road. At the end of walk, Resident Director Waqar Ahmed distributed pamphlets among the participants. Addressing the participants at the occasion, he said that there is emphasis on cleanliness in Islam and if everyone takes responsibility, dengue virus could be stopped from spreading.

Before the walk, RAC staff participated in a cleanliness drive which included cleaning the RAC offices and taking out water from a fountain and flower beds. For the awareness of general public, a documentary film on dengue has been shown to audiences before each programme at the auditorium of the council.

At Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) offices, the staff of the civic body held a walk from their offices to Liaquat Bagh led by Town Municipal Officer Mir Akmal.

They distributed pamphlets among the people for raising awareness and adopting preventive measures to avoid the spread of the dengue virus in the city areas.

TMO Mir Akmal also visited the under construction building of RTMA and asked the relevant staff to speed up the work to shift the offices in the new building and directed workers to take measures to prevent water from accumulating in the basement and parking area.

At the seminar organised by Punjab Population Welfare District Officer Shireen Sukhan and Benazir Bhutto Hospital representative Dr Asma Ahmed briefed the participants on the prevention of dengue virus.

Dr Ahmed told the participants that dengue could prove fatal so it is important to take steps to prevent the spread of virus.

“Avoid letting water accumulate in and around the house and wear full-sleeved clothing,” she said.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2015

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