Dengue chapter in Punjab schools syllabus
 

Lu g shabaz shareef k kam check karu zara

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has stressed upon provincial ministers, advisors, elected representatives and the secretaries of various departments to set aside their official status and strive, like ordinary workers, to eliminate dengue virus and server humanity. He also issued directions to include a chapter in the syllabus from class one regarding protection from dengue virus and other preventive measures against the disease. He was presiding over a meeting regarding elimination of dengue virus and the steps taken to cope with the problem, here on Friday. National and provincial assembly members, the chairmen of town committees, the secretaries of various departments and experts were also present.
The chief minister said bureaucratic formalities should not be allowed to impede the process of exterminating dengue virus and the required machinery and other material available anywhere should be airlifted for the provision of better medical facilities to the people.
He asked private laboratories not to consider the natural calamity as an opportunity for profiteering. He said that government would not hesitate from any action if the blood testing charges were not made affordable to the poor people. He said that a long-term policy was being evolved to eradicate dengue virus and a special cadre was being set up for the purpose.
The CM said that all available resources were being utilized for providing best treatment facilities to the dengue patients. He said that eight filter clinics would start functioning at various places in the provincial metropolis for which modern machines had been brought from Karachi by air.
He said that Social Security Hospital, Manga Raiwind Road, had also been allocated for dengue patients and modern machinery, air-conditioners and diagnostic facilities had been provided there.
He said that, due to rush of patients in the major hospitals of Lahore, air-conditioned camps should be set up in their lawns for providing medical facilities to the patients, issuing orders to give final shape to a plan in this regard.
He said the cooperation being extended by the private hospitals in providing free treatment to the dengue patients was commendable. When told that private laboratories were charging exorbitant fees for blood test, the CM said that private laboratories should realize their responsibility and serve the ailing humanity, instead of indulging in profiteering. He said that a committee comprising elected representatives and health department officials should negotiate with the owners of private laboratories and fix the rate of these tests.
Dengue being a viral disease, there was a need to evolve both short and long-term planning for its control, he said, adding that a special taskforce, headed by the Chief Secretary, had started working and steps would be taken in the light of its recommendations for curbing viral diseases.