Anti-dengue measures: Health Ministry advises lawmakers to expedite public awareness campaign

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Health on Wednesday advised legislators in the National Assembly to expedite public contact campaign in order to spread awareness regarding the prevention steps against dengue virus, ARY News reported.

The decision was taken in a high-level session chaired by the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza here today. The session was attended by NA lawmakers Khurrum Nawaz, Ali Awan and other senior officials.

The ministry’s spokesperson said that the lawmakers were asked to expedite public awareness campaign by contacting nationals as anti-dengue measures.

During the session, Dr Mirza told participants of the session that the dengue control room is working 24/7 under the supervision of the federal government. He detailed that all arrangements are completed to handle dengue cases in the federal government-run and private hospitals.

While apprising the number of dengue patients, he said that 197 people are admitted in government hospitals and 63 in private hospitals, whereas, special dengue-wards are established in all the hospitals across the federal capital Islamabad.

He further said that health teams are consistently working to the areas spotted  as breeding ground for dengue larvae.

Earlier on Tuesday, the number of dengue patients had jumped to 2,721 in Punjab, during the current year, said provincial health department.

According to the report prepared by the Punjab health department, as many as 292 cases of dengue were reported in the last 24 hours. 106 cases were reported in Rawalpindi and 145 were reported in the federal capital. The death toll due to dengue illness has soared to 13 in the province in the last two months, reads the report.