LAHORE, Nov 10: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has suspended from service the district officer (health), Lahore, for failing to take timely and effective measures for checking the spread of dengue fever in the city.

A taskforce has also been formed to eliminate the virus from the provincial capital.

Mr Sharif chaired a meeting held here on Monday where he ordered conferring of all necessary administrative and financial powers on the taskforce to work on a war-footing to save lives of people from the disease.

The growing dengue fever cases in Lahore and other cities were a matter of concern, he said, adding neither timely measures were taken to curb this lethal disease nor any effort was made to promote public awareness regarding preventive measures.

He learnt the Lahore executive district officer (EDO), health, had only 10 fumigation machines against a requirement of 270, and the officer did not buy more equipment costing around Rs1.2 million.

Deltamethrin diluted in diesel or kerosene is used for fumigating open drains and filthy ponds to kill mosquitoes causing the dengue disease. The solution remains effective for three months.

The chief minister ordered immediate suspension of health DO for his failure to take effective measures to curb dengue virus, saying those showing a laxity deserved no leniency.

He directed the health secretary to visit Rawalpindi and Faisalabad and submit him a report within 72 hours regarding dengue fever and polio. He said immediate measures should be taken to check any threats of outbreak of this disease in any area.

He ordered the Health Department to launch a campaign to promote public awareness about preventive measures against dengue through seminars, discussions and printed material.

The chief minister said polio vaccine only be bought from Unicef in future instead of private contractors, and asked the department to approach the federal government for this purpose as well as making proper storage arrangements for the vaccine.

He asked the principals of medical colleges and medical superintendents of hospitals not to hide facts about dengue virus and polio and provide correct information to the media.

He ordered an inquiry into the purchase of granite tiles for the Services Institute of Medical Sciences against his instructions. He also took note of the use of substandard tiles in the construction of SIMS and sought a report within seven days.

The health services DG informed the meeting that four people lost their lives so far owing to dengue virus in Lahore.