RAWALPINDI: As many as seven more dengue patients landed in the garrison city’s government hospitals on Monday, taking the tally of the season to 157 in the district.

According to data of Rawalpindi Medical University, four patients arrived at Holy Family Hospital, two at Benazir Bhutto Hospital and one at District Headquarters Hospital from different parts of the garrison city and Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir sought help of prayers leaders to create public awareness about preventive measures to avoid the spread of dengue virus.

The Auqaf Department was specially directed to hold a meeting with all renowned scholars and request them to highlight the threat of dengue in their Friday sermons.

Presiding over an anti-dengue meeting along with Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chattha, the caretaker minister said that there was zero tolerance for any negligence in preventive and curative measures on the part of concerned departments against dengue.

“Departments not showing adequate results of surveillance activities will be held accountable,” he said.

He directed them to conduct frequent visits and surveys of larvae breeding spots and take effective measures to keep such places dry and clean. He also asked them to continue checking tyre shops, junkyards, graveyards and nurseries.

The caretaker minister said that the anti-dengue activities of all departments should be visible. He added that it was not possible to prevent dengue without the cooperation of the citizens, so programmes should be conducted to make them aware of the implementation of preventive measures.

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director General Saif Anwar Jappa, Additional Commissioner Coordination Syed Nazarat Ali, Rawalpindi Medical University Principal Dr Jahangir Sarwar and representatives of other government departments attended the meeting whereas deputy commissioners Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal participated through video link.

Speaking on the occasion, the commissioner said the involvement of Islamabad administration and cantonment boards in anti-dengue activities should be ensured because those were grey areas which become the main reason behind the spread of dengue.

Dhoke Munshi, cantonment areas have newly been added to the dengue hotspots. He directed that establishment of special dengue wards and availability of required medicines should be ensured in all hospitals keeping in mind the dengue peak season.

He directed the District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer and Director Colleges to provide more staff for the anti-polio campaign, starting on September 4.

The health department informed the meeting that a total of 178 confirmed cases of dengue had been reported in Rawalpindi division since January 1, 2023.

Out of these, 157 patients have been reported in Rawalpindi district, 14 in Attock, two in Jhelum and five in Chakwal. Currently, 26 confirmed dengue patients are undergoing treatment in Rawalpindi hospitals while the rest have been discharged.

In the last 24 hours, 39 FIRs, five challans were lodged while five buildings were sealed and a fine of Rs53,000 was imposed on those found violating dengue SOPs.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2023