ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has directed the health authorities in the federal capital to improve its preparedness to fight dengue.

The local health department was directed to prepare plans in hospitals for management of dengue cases focusing on preventive care, diagnostic facilities, availability of beds along with treatment protocols.

Larva prevention and control measures should also be taken on the premises, breeding site identified and sprays carried out.

Ministry directs all health depts to devise dengue fever management protocol in line with WHO guidelines

Moreover, all departments were directed to devise a management dengue fever protocol in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines under intimation to the ministry by April 10.

NHS Minister Aamer Mehmood Kiani said the twin cities were located in the endemic zone for dengue and there was always the risk of an outbreak of the disease in Islamabad.

Every year many local and non-local cases of dengue are reported in the capital.

Dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever have been the fastest emerging mosquito-borne arboviral infections since 2005-06 in Pakistan.

There have been a few severe outbreaks of dengue in some parts of the country. Though during the last a few years the severity (mortality and morbidity) of the disease reduced, there are still some areas in the country which are at the risk of dengue outbreak.

Meanwhile, Mr Kiani visited Nadra’s call centre which is being used by the ministry to inform Sehat Sahulat Programme beneficiaries about the health cards and to take feedback from them regarding the services delivered to them by hospitals.

The minister called a few beneficiaries and personally informed them about the health cards and from where they can collect it. He also asked the cardholders about the services being provided to them in hospitals.

Talking to media persons, the minister said in line with the Prime Minister’s Universal Health Coverage, the ministry was working to expand its Sehat Sahulat Programme to all parts of Pakistan.

“Through this initiative poor families will be provided with free of cost health insurance to secure indoor healthcare services worth Rs720,000 from empaneled hospitals.”

Under the programme, Sehat Insaf cards will be provided to 10 million families through a computerised mechanism.

The services available for the cardholders include open heart surgeries, insertion of stunts, management of cancer, neurosurgical procures, burn management, accident management, dialysis, intensive care management, deliveries, C-section and other medical/surgical procedures, he said.

The programme will also provide Rs1,000 transportation cost to its beneficiaries on their discharge from hospital, he said.

During the visit, Nadra Chairman Usman Mobin briefed the minister about the card delivery and services.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2019