LAHORE – Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that Lahorites were frightened from dengue last year but now the situation was under control due to blessing of Allah Almighty and government efforts.
Addressing the concluding session of two-day International Dengue Conference at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Sunday, he said that officers and officials of government departments besides members of civil society, media and people belonging to various walks of life have won the war against dengue under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.
Dr Fernando, Dr Tesira and Dr Kasum Wathal from Sri Lanka, Prof Suchitra, Prof Makda, Dr Ratchetat, Ms Rasana Valeer Tanpata from Thailand, Dr Le Chin from Singapore and Dr Rita from Indonesia participated in the conference. Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafiq, Secretary Health Arif Nadeem, Special Secretary Babar Hayyat Tarrar, Additional Secretary Health (Admin) Dr Sajid Mehmood Chohan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr Anwar Janjua, Director General Health Punjab Dr Nisar Cheema, Additional Director General Vector Born Diseases Dr Jaffar Ilyas, Medical Superintendents of government hospitals, Pro-Vice Chancellor King Edward Medical University Prof; Aslam Khan, Prof. Faisal Masood, officers of various government departments, doctors and nurses attended the session.
Pervaiz Rashid said that now it was responsibility of everybody to make this success more sustainable.
He said that fight against dengue would continue so that the menace could not spread again in future. He appreciated dengue experts from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore for extending professional and technical cooperation to locals and thanked them on behalf of Punjab government and Chief Minister. He also distributed certificates among foreign delegates on the behalf of Punjab Chief Minister.
Earlier, various working groups presented recommendations regarding measures to control dengue in future and provision of better treatment to patients. The experts were of the view that leaders like CM Punjab were necessary for achieving success against dengue in short span of time. They said that the war against dengue was long and it should continue besides capacity-building of medical experts, entomologists and nurses as well as creating awareness among the masses. They stressed upon people to change their attitude and lifestyle. Punjab Health Department will publish the recommendations of international experts for prevention of dengue in the form of a book.