RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has sent 10 teams from Lahore to monitor the anti-dengue drive in the 46 union councils of Rawalpindi.

Following an increase in dengue cases, the provincial government realised that the local administration could not be relied on to carry out an effective anti-dengue drive. These teams will pay a door-to-door visit and inspect the situation on the ground.

Three monitoring tiers have been established that will look into the work of Rawal Town Municipal Administration, departments of health, environment and others. A special branch of police, assistant commissioners and 10 teams will also inspect the work of anti-dengue drive workers.

Commissioner Zahid Saeed told Dawn that the Punjab government had revised the anti-dengue campaign, directing the local administration to divide the 46 union councils of Rawal Town into three categories - red, orange and yellow.

“Union councils where more than seven dengue cases are reported are declared red, while areas from where fewer patients have been brought to the hospitals have been declared orange and then yellow,” he added.

Mr Saeed said all local administration departments would now be watched over by three different local government teams, assistant commissioners and police special branch.

Between August and October 4, more than 1,035 dengue cases were confirmed in the three government-run hospitals of Rawalpindi - Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

The three hospitals have also treated 34 patients that came from areas of Islamabad including Golra, Shakrial, CDA Colony, I-9 and I-10.

As of October 4, as many as 203 patients are admitted to the three hospitals with 124 confirmed cases among them. There are 72 patients in HFH, 44 in BBH and eight in DHQ Hospital.

The first dengue casualty occurred in HFH. The victim, Tasleem Bibi, 65, came to the hospital from Satellite Town on the second day of Eidul Azha.

The second victim of dengue was Faiza Abid, a resident of Dhoke Gangal.

The 27-year-old woman was brought to BBH on Friday and died the next day (October 3). She had been ill for a week.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2015

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