Private hospitals asked to play role in dengue treatment

LAHORE

Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique has warned private hospitals that action will be taken against such hospitals who would depute untrained doctors for the treatment of dengue patients. Chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Civil Secretariat Committee Room though a video link on Friday, he said it was mandatory for private hospitals to ensure training of their doctors regarding case management of dengue through Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG).

Besides, Members of Punjab Assembly Ms Lubna Faisal, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan, Special Secretary Specialised Healthcare Dr Sajid Mahmood Chohan, Special Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Dr Faisal Zahoor, PITB officers, health and other departments concerned attended the meeting. In-charge, Chief Minister Dengue Research Cell Prof Wasim Akram said special attention should be paid on indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance especially in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. 

Secretary DEAG Dr Somia Iqtidar informed the meeting that so far DEAG had trained 316 doctors at provincial level while 277 doctors had been imparted training at divisional level. She disclosed that doctors from Pakpattan, Khanewal, Mianwali, Okara, Hafizabad, DG Khan and Bahawalnagar did not appear in the training on the given schedule. The minister took serious notice of this and directed that doctors should strictly follow the training schedule; otherwise, disciplinary action would be taken against them. 

Khawaja Salman Rafique stressed the need of training of nurses on dengue case management for providing effective medical cover and intensive care of the patients.