RAWALPINDI: An ‘anti-dengue’ day was observed in the garrison city on directives from the Punjab government. The day’s activities aimed to raise awareness regarding preventive measures against the dengue virus.

The health department, other civic bodies and even the police department, put up banners and signs within the city to inform citizens of anti-dengue measures.

In addition, adviser to the Punjab chief minister on health Khawaja Salman Raffique participated in a seminar arranged by the Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) in the new teaching block at the Holy Family Hospital (HFH).

Speaking at the event, Raffique said the provincial government was heavily involved in research on how to eliminate dengue mosquitoes in the province.

“Dengue preventive measures should be adopted by the people, and they should ensure cleanliness in and around their homes. The government is making an effort to eliminate the dengue virus, but it will be eliminated by the collective efforts of the people and the government,” he said.

Raffique said that even though the number of patients has increased this year, there have not been any deaths from the virus. He said that Malaysia, Thailand and other countries have witnessed many deaths due to the dengue virus, but that Pakistan is comparatively safer. He also said that medical care for dengue patients in government run hospitals is improving, and that the HFH is the best in this regard.

Punjab Secretary Health Jawad Raffique Malik said that Pakistani doctors are well-versed in dengue prevention as compared to doctors in other countries. Malik said that the Punjab government was facilitating hospitals in order to give dengue patients improved care, which has led to a satisfactory recovery rate.

Adviser to the Punjab chief minister on dengue Dr. Waseem Akram said that many new diseases, like dengue, were coming to the forefront and that researchers were looking for ways to curtail contraction. Akram said that the people and the government would meet the challenges of new diseases together, and that they would labour to make the community safer.

Member National Assembly Tahira Aurangzeb attended a seminar by the social welfare department where she urged women to carry out preventive measures in and around their homes.

She told the women in attendance that they could play an important part in preventing dengue contraction within their families, just by keeping an eye out for mosquitoes in the houses.

Meanwhile, in a meeting to review anti-dengue work in Rawalpindi, Punjab Minister for Labour and Manpower Raja Ashfaq Sarwar called on local administration to take action against those whose commercial activities helped spread dengue virus in the city.

He said that the administration should take legal action against owners of auto workshops, small industrial units, and junkyards, who failed to adopt safety measures.

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Rawal Town Municipal Administration, and Health and Environment Department also arranged walks in various parts of the city and handed out pamphlets on dengue prevention.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2015

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