RAWALPINDI: Adviser to the Punjab Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique called on the local administration this Thursday to seek the help of religious scholars in raising awareness of the spread of dengue virus in the city.

Rafique has asked mosques to make such announcements despite the fact that under the National Action Plan (NAP) mosques are only permitted to use loudspeakers to broadcast the Azaan and Friday sermons.

Rafique made these announcements during a meeting that reviewed the anti-dengue measures adopted by the local administration and health department. The meeting, which took place at the commissioner’s office, was attended by District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar Dall and other senior officials.

Rafique also called on the local administration to spray anti-dengue medications in areas where patients have contracted the disease. In Rawalpindi, Dhoke Ratta and Rahimabad have been declared vulnerable, and the adviser asked local administrators to begin ‘fogging’ these areas.

The adviser expressed concern over the increasing number of dengue fever patients, and asked local administrators to inspect tyre stores, junk yards, construction sites, mosques, graveyards and parks.

“Eidul Azha is nearing, and it is the duty of the local administration to keep sacrificial animals limited to cattle markets in order to prevent mosquitoes breeding within the city,” Rafique said. He also called on Rawalpindi Solid Waste Management to improve the sanitary conditions of the city to prevent the spread of the disease.

Speaking to Dawn after the meeting, DCO Dall said most of the dengue fever patients have come to Rawalpindi from Islamabad, Haripur and Chakwal.

Dall said the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) will soon begin ‘fogging’ in vulnerable parts of the city.

He said under the standard operating procedure (SoP), ‘fogging’ is conducted in areas where adult dengue mosquitoes are found, otherwise repeated sprays will not eliminate mosquitoes.

He said according to recent pathological reports, the mosquitoes belong to the den-2 and den-3 types and no new vector was discovered, which is good news.

“If a new vector had been found, there would be a chance that the virus could spread manifold,” he said.

Dall said Rafique asked for enhanced coordination between departments, and said that he would ask heads of other departments to visit Rawalpindi to expedite the provision of anti-dengue measures.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play