RAWALPINDI: Filter clinics will begin operating in rural and urban areas affected by the dengue outbreak today (Sunday), where people will be tested for dengue and confirmed patients will be sent to the city’s three government hospitals.

Commissioner retired Capt Saqib Zafar told Dawn that filter clinics have been planned at five health centres in the city and cantonment areas because of the surge of patients at Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

He said scores of people visit hospitals to be tested for dengue, and the confirmed number of patients is lower.

“For example, 100 people visited the dengue ward but 20pc of them were dengue patients. The presence of a large number of people created an unnecessary rush in the premises, so we decided to establish filter clinics so doctors would focus on dengue patients,” he said.

Two clinics in Kotha Kalan UC and Khayaban-i-Sir Syed to test people for dengue, refer confirmed patients to govt hospitals

Two of the five clinics, in Kotha Kalan union council and Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, will become operational Sunday, Mr Zafar said. There, teams of doctors and paramedics will test people for dengue and give confirmed patients a note for admission in the city’s three government hospitals.

The remaining filter clinics will be established after selecting sites where the most patients admitted to hospital came from, he said.

Hospitals have been asked to make arrangements for patients, and an outpatient desk for dengue patients should be set up in a prominent area, he said.

In addition, Deputy Commissioner Sardar Saifullah Khan Dogar has asked prayer leaders at mosques and imambargahs to raise awareness about measures people can take to prevent dengue and ensure their homes are clean.

Mr Dogar called a meeting of the district peace committee, and urged religious leaders of all sects to help the district administration raise awareness about dengue prevention.

He also asked government organisations, cantonment boards and Pakistan Railways to begin anti-dengue campaigns in their respective areas.

He said all organisations and citizens would have to work with the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company to resist dengue and make the city waste-free.

Mr Zafar, Mr Dogra and Punjab Minister for Literacy and Informal Education Raja Rashid Hafeez also led a walk on Saidpur Road that aimed to highlight basic precautionary measures people can take against dengue.

District officials and a large number of people, including teachers and students, participated. They carried banners and placards detailing precautions, the importance of cleanliness and information on dengue treatment.

Mr Dogra visited an awareness camp in Commercial Market set up by the RWMC and Albayrak, where he spoke about cleanliness and precautionary measures for dengue.

The business community assured the deputy commissioner that they would ensure dengue prevention standard operating procedures are complied with in all business centres and markets to safeguard public health.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2019