LAHORE: Recognising dengue an epidemic in Rawalpindi, the Punjab government has sprung into action and sent three mobile health units besides setting up filter clinics as well as involving trained general practitioners to cure dengue-positive patients.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday called an emergency meeting to review anti-dengue measures at his office and directed activating the dengue brigade and presence of vehicles on roads for spray and fogging in all areas. He announced free-of-cost dengue tests at all public hospitals. A dengue cell will also be set up at the CM office.

The chief minister directed urgent vector surveillance and eliminating larvae through removing stagnant water and sprays by the anti-dengue brigade. He also directed recruiting doctors, nurses, male nurses and essential staff through walk-in-interviews. The health department would recruit 1,000 doctors and nurses each. Mr Buzdar said provincial ministers and assembly members would be assigned duties to monitor anti-dengue measures in red zones.

The chief minister directed that dengue information counters be set up in hospitals to guide the patients and their families. He said that tehsil and district emergency response committees should be reactivated.

He said a third-party audit of anti-dengue measures would soon be conducted. Mr Buzdar said that he would personally monitor anti-dengue steps and practical measures must be visible in the field. He warned that wrong reporting would not be tolerated and such officials would be sent packing.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2019