LAHORE, Sept 24: Nine towns of Lahore and district coordination officers across the province have been directed to focus on eliminating the breeding of mosquito-larva in the accumulated rainwater of a large number of empty residential and commercial plots.

Sources told Dawn on Saturday that a team of Sri Lankan doctors and experts had advised the Punjab government to effectively control further spread of dengue virus after it got several samples of dengue larvae from various open places in Lahore.

The team said since Sri Lanka had controlled the spread of mosquito with the help of effective public awareness campaign and through eliminating mosquito breeding sites, Pakistan too, particularly Punjab which was in a state of emergency, should follow the same method, they said.

“The team is also of the view that the Punjab government should formulate a comprehensive strategy, particularly in relation to the preventive care against the dengue fever, to save the public lives,” said an official who requested not to be named.

He said the Punjab government was closely in touch with the Sri Lankan experts and was acting upon their recommendations being made during meetings presided over by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on a daily basis.

The official said that experts’ opinions regarding eradication of the mosquito breeding sites had been conveyed to entire town municipal administrations (TMAs) of the CDGL, all commissioners and DCOs of the province to adopt a long-term strategy to combat dengue virus in their respective areas.

He said the government had also directed senior officials concerned to ensure using insecticides after getting these tested through drug testing laboratories and inform quarters concerned in this regard on a regular basis.

Opinion

Editorial

Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...
Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...