FAISALABAD - The World Health Organisation has issued new guidelines to prevent and control dengue fever as the disease is one of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases mentioned in NTD Roadmap, disclosed a University of Faisalabad expert.He was addressing the international conference on “Prevention, Management and Future Strategies of Dengue” on 24th at Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad. The conference was organised by Professor Zahid Yaseen Hashmi, the principal of Punjab Medical College. During the inaugural session, Mr Salman Rafiq, an adviser to Chief Minister, was the chief guest. He focused on the efforts of the Punjab government containing dengue this year. He attributed the successful efforts to Chief Minister Shabaz Sharif and medical staff who worked day and night to control the disease. He appreciated the administration of Faisalabad for taking lead in preventive efforts done to keep the disease under-control. Other speakers included Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, the Vice Chancellor, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Prof Dr Faqir Muhammad Anjum, DG National Institute of Food Science & Technology, MPAs Khawaja Muhammad Islam, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan. Divisional Commissioner Tahir Hussain also attended the session. Foreign speakers from Thailand and Cuba were also present. On the occasion, Dr Zahid Masood, the expert, added that the WHO had redesigned its strategy titled “Global Strategy for Dengue Prevention and Control in 2012”. “According to the WHO guidelines, dengue is categorised as an emerging disease and the WHO EMRO has put Pakistan in Group A with Saudi Arabia and Yemen where major outbreaks occurred in recent years.”  He explained the goal and objectives of the WHO in 2012 for dengue control is to reduce the burden of disease. Objectives included reducing mortality by 50% in 2020 and mortality by 25% by 2020 in addition to estimating the exact burden of diseases by 2015. Dr Masood also made a comparison of dengue cases in September 2011 in Punjab where around 17,000 cases were confirmed whereas in 2012 there were less than 150 confirmed cases of dengue. “This depicts strong political will and community participation coupled with sustained environmental sanitation, surveillance monitoring coordination and collaboration in addition to capacity building,” he said. He added that vector control is key to success. Rehab of flood victims pledged:  DG Khan Division Commissioner Tariq Mahmood said that flood victims will be provided all-out help and assistance as the government had helped affectees during the 2010 floods. He also disclosed that divisional administrative had received 50 trucks of relief items from the Punjab government so far.  He was addressing a meeting which held to review the flood situation and rehabilitation work here the other day. On the occasion, DCO Ghazi Amman Ullah said that the flood affectees had been provided food and health protection facilities.. He said that 28 members of 14 teams were working day and night in flood affected areas. The Commissioner was informed that 226 villages, 8,870 houses and standing crops on more than 93,000 acres land had damaged in the floods. He was also told that 10,386 persons had been shifted to safer places through boats of Pakistan Army and the Punjab government.