RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi divisional administration has taken action by issuing show-cause notices to six civic bodies, which included city and cantonment boards, due to their perceived failure to implement proper measures during the ongoing anti-dengue campaign. This lack of effective measures resulted in an increase in dengue cases in the garrison city.
Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha, who was reviewing the performance of the anti-dengue efforts, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Rawalpindi Development Authority, Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards, the fisheries and Auqaf departments, Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation, and Rawalpindi Waste Management Company.
In response to their subpar performance, Commissioner Chatha issued show-cause notices to these entities, directing them to enhance their performance before the next review meeting scheduled for the following week.
Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr. Hasan Waqar Cheema, Additional Commissioner (Coordination) Syed Nazarat Ali, Director Health Commission Dr. Rafiq, Director PHA Ahmed Hassan Ranjha, Dr. Mujeeb Khan (Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Holy Family Hospital), and heads of other relevant departments attended the meeting.
Commissioner Chatha highlighted that the current rainy weather created favorable conditions for the spread of dengue, emphasizing the need to intensify field activities. He stressed that there should be no negligence in treating dengue-affected patients.
Given the ongoing peak season for dengue, Commissioner Chatha instructed that the treatment of affected patients should be a top priority. He directed hospital administrations to ensure that doctors regularly visit dengue wards, and consultants personally attend to critical dengue patients at least three times a day.
Officials Plan to Increase Hospital Bed Capacity
In preparation for any unforeseen situation, the officials made plans to increase hospital bed capacity to 1,000 beds.
Chatha mentioned that the collaboration of the Islamabad administration and both cantonment boards was essential to comprehensively address anti-dengue activities.
During the meeting, officials provided an update, reporting a total of 662 confirmed dengue patients in Rawalpindi. The hospitals discharged 579 patients after treatment while 83 currently receiving treatment in various hospitals. Of the confirmed patients, 62 were from Rawalpindi, 17 from Islamabad, and the remainder from other districts. Despite 10 patients being in critical condition, there have been no deaths related to dengue.
Officials also noted that 243 houses were found to be positive for larvae during indoor activities within the last 24 hours, and 29 outdoor hotspots were identified as positive, with appropriate action taken. Furthermore, authorities took punitive actions against violators of dengue SOPs, including the filing of 23 FIRs, nine challans, and sealing one building.
