DC directs officials to expedite anti-dengue surveillance

Rawalpindi: Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema on Wednesday directed the health officials to expedite anti-dengue surveillance activities for tracing larvae and disgorged the affected areas with Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).

Chairing a meeting to review anti-dengue arrangements here at his office, he directed the implementation of anti-dengue regulations and said that stern action would be taken against those failing to comply with the laws. Cheema further directed the officials that uploading bogus or fake entries would be dealt with strictly.

During the ongoing season, if surveillance was carried out under an effective strategy, better results would come out in the coming days, he said and added that the work of dengue workers would be evaluated only after the improved outcomes in the last year’s affected areas. He asked the officials to create awareness among people to keep their houses clean, adding a vigorous awareness campaign was essential for effective community participation in this regard.

On the occasion, the health officials briefed the meeting that around 999 teams were carrying out surveillance for tracing larvae including 788 indoor and 211 outdoor surveillance teams. Giving details of the penalty actions, the health officer briefed that the health authority, in collaboration with allied departments, had lodged 82 FIRs, sealed 89 shops, issued tickets to 247 and a fine of Rs312,000 was imposed on violations of dengue SOPs from January 1 to date. The health officer further stated that during indoor vector surveillance, the teams detected larvae at 4,300 sites while during outdoor surveillance larvae were found at 850 spots.