LAHORE: The district administrations have been asked to attach private clinics and hospitals treating dengue patients to their nearest government hospitals to make the drive against the virus more effective.

The direction was given by Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed to all the deputy commissioners while presiding over a video conference here on Friday.

“Normally private clinics and hospitals do treat dengue patients but refer them to the government hospitals when the condition of patients worsens. This is serious and needs to be addressed to timely cure the dengue patients, saving them from otherwise likely death,” he reportedly said, stressing proper training of private doctors in dengue treatment.

Mr Saeed added that dengue surveillance teams should focus on the quality of work, preparing history of dengue patients and identifying vulnerable areas. Dengue could spread immediately after the monsoon and there was need to better plan against it during the current lean period, he said.

“All departments should extend full cooperation to the authorities concerned in anti-dengue activities. Concerted efforts were needed to eradicate dengue once and for all.”

Mr Saeed directed the housing secretary to proceed against managements of private housing societies if any of their residents found not following official anti-dengue guidelines, instead of initiating action against individuals. He sought speedy recruitment of entomologists and, if required, related staff in districts.

He directed the deputy commissioners of Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Multan to keeping in view the last year’s experience to adopt a better strategy to cope with dengue.

Provincial Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khwaja Salman Rafique expressed his dissatisfaction over the dengue-related performance of Sargodha and Jhang districts.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2017