ISLAMABAD: In a joint meeting held at the CDA Secretariat on Wednesday, chaired by Chairman CDA/Chief Commissioner ICT, Noor ul Ameen Mangel, and Commissioner Rawalpindi, Liaqat Ali Chattha, measures were discussed to review and enhance the preparedness for dengue prevention in the region. The meeting was attended by key officials, including Member Environment, Member Finance, DC ICT, DC Rawalpindi, DG Health Services, DG Environment, DDG Civic Management, and relevant staff from the DHO, ICT.
The Chairman, CDA/Chief Commissioner, ICT emphasized the need for continuous surveillance of potential dengue breeding sites and emphasized the importance of collaboration with other departments. He directed the Director Health Services, MCI to recruit an additional workforce of 200 individuals on a daily wage basis for three months to bolster the existing workforce.
Furthermore, the Chairman instructed the Deputy Commissioner, ICT to organize training for both the existing and newly hired staff to effectively handle any dengue-related situations that may arise.
The Environment Wing was directed to carry out specific trimming of trees and removal of unnecessary plants across the city to prevent dengue. This activity will be intensified in the upcoming days.
To ensure the visibility of the workforce during their duty hours, the DDG (CM) was tasked with providing 150 reflective jackets.
In collaboration with the Awqaf Department, the Chairman urged the inspection of washrooms and ablution areas in all mosques to eliminate dengue larvae.
During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner, ICT briefed the attendees on the preparedness of CDA, ICT, and MCI staff to handle any dengue-related situations, emphasizing that dengue prevention is an administrative and social responsibility. All relevant departments and administrations, including CDA, MCI, ICT Administration, and Rawalpindi Administration, were urged to intensify their efforts to monitor and control dengue larvae. Special attention was advised for high-risk areas such as Rawat, Bahra Khu, Jhangi Saydain, Karal, and Sohan along the IJP Road and Islamabad Expressway.
The Commissioner Rawalpindi expressed full cooperation and coordination with the CDA and ICT administration, directing the relevant officers of the Rawalpindi Administration to maintain constant liaison with relevant formations and ensure coordinated efforts in dengue prevention activities.
According to statistics shared during the meeting, from January 1 to July 4, five cases were reported in Islamabad, thirteen in Rawalpindi, and seventy-four in Lahore, highlighting the urgency of preventive measures.
This joint meeting demonstrated the commitment of the Islamabad and Rawalpindi administrations to combat the dengue outbreak by implementing proactive measures and fostering inter-departmental collaboration to protect the public health and well-being of the region’s residents.
