LAHORE: With a death reported due to dengue in Lahore, Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Sunday issued orders for launch of anti-dengue campaign throughout the province, asking the departments concerned to perform their duty in an active manner.

Warning the officials against negligence, he directed the commissioners and deputy commissioners to mobilise field teams for anti-dengue drive.

According to a statement on Sunday, the CM sought due attention to indoor and outdoor surveillance, including in public and private buildings, tire shops and graveyards. He directed the administrative officers to monitor the measures taken to prevent dengue.

Giving directions for quality treatment to the dengue patients, he said necessary facilities should be provided to the patients and their attendants at the dengue wards and counters in hospitals.

Hamza says PTI govt’s incompetence behind dengue resurgence

Mr Buzdar said the citizens should not let water get stagnant in their houses and on the rooftops.

“It is important to stop dengue in time,” he said and added that relevant agencies should remain vigilant to deal with the virus.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz expressed concern at the rising dengue cases in the province.

In a statement on Sunday, he said that due to incompetence of the rulers, dengue fever was on the rise again and major towns of the province, including Lahore, were under threat.

He said the Punjab government had made no significant arrangements for the prevention of dengue this year as dengue squads neither destroyed the larvae nor did insecticides spray to prevent their spread.

“The Buzdar government has exhibited its traditional laziness, ineptness and incompetence in controlling dengue, which has led to its (virus’s) resurgence,” he alleged.

Hamza recalled that during the rule of Shehbaz Sharif, the dengue virus had been brought under control by fighting against it round the clock.

“This government, due to its incompetence, has destroyed the hard work of a decade in just three years,” he said.

So far, 693 cases of dengue have been reported. These included 114 new cases in the last 24 hours across Punjab. Lahore is particularly affected by the virus as 582 cases have been reported in the city.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2021