LAKKI MARWAT: A health department official on Sunday claimed that effective implementation of the surveillance and case response mechanism had helped contain the prevalence of dengue in Lakki Marwat district as only one case had been reported during the last eight months.

Talking to Dawn, the district health office’s medical entomologist Mohammad Jamil said the health department had conducted screening of 268 suspected patients, of whom only a single patient with a travel history had tested positive.

He identified the patient as a member of Tableeghi Jamaat, who had come to the district from Sindh and was staying at a mosque in Naurang town.

He said the dengue control and prevention committee in its recent meeting chaired by deputy commissioner Abdul Hadi had appreciated the health and other departments for their coordinated efforts to control the fatal disease.

He said the deputy commissioner had directed the health and other departments to implement dengue control and prevention plan in letter and spirit.

Mr Jamil said special isolation wards had been established in public sector hospitals with 20 beds at the District Headquarters Hospital, seven at the Category-C Hospital in Lakki city and six beds each at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Naurang, and Category-D hospitals in Titterkhel and Tajori towns.

The health official said TMA staff along with health employees had been engaged in anti-dengue activities, including fumigation and community education through distribution of pamphlets and holding awareness walks.

The health official said larvicide activities were underway in all the four tehsils of Lakki with the help of TMAs and local government department.

CONTROL ROOM: The police have set up a control room for the effective monitoring and surveillance of the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) in Lakki Marwat district.

SP investigation Murad Khan Wazir stated this while speaking at a meeting attended by sub-divisional police officers and SHOs here on Sunday.

He said temporary checkposts had been established at the entrance and exit points of Lakki city as part of security measures for Chehlum.

He said the mourners’ processions and implementation of the security plan would be monitored with the help of CCTV cameras.

Mr Wazir said the district administration had also imposed restrictions under Section 144 for peaceful observance of Chehlum and to maintain peace and harmony in the district.

He said deployment of cops at Imambargahs and on the routes of processions had been completed. He also directed SDPOs and SHOs to launch result-oriented actions against proclaimed offenders, drug traffickers and anti-social elements in their respective jurisdictions.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2023