Private Hospitals Should Ensure Training Of Doctors By DEAG.

17/03/17

Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that it is mandatory for private hospitals to ensure training of their doctors regarding case management of dengue through Dengue Experts Advisory Group (DEAG). He made it clear that action would be taken against such hospitals who would depute untrained doctors for the treatment of dengue patients.

He stated this while chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Dengue at Civil Secretariat Committee Room though video link from Multan. Besides, members Punjab Assembly Ms. Lubna Faisal, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan, Special Secretary Specialized Healthcare Dr. Sajid Mahmood Chohan, Special Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Dr. Faisal Zahoor, Secretary Housing & Urban Development Punjab, Addl. Secretary Finance Department, Addl. Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Dr. Asif, officers from PITB, Health and other concerned departments attended the meeting. Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officer of Health from Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Jhang, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Jehlum, Multan, Attock and Bahawalpur participated in the meeting via video link. Additional Director General Health Dengue Control Programme Dr. Farrukh Sultan briefed the meeting about the latest dengue situation in various districts. He also presented report regarding the ongoing outdoor, indoor dengue surveillance and steps taken for the control of dengue at district level. In-charge, Chief Minister Dengue Research Cell Prof. Wasim Akram said that special attention should be paid on indoor and outdoor dengue surveillance specially in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. Secretary DEAG Dr. Somia Iqtidar informed the meeting that so far DEAG has been trained 316 doctors at provincial level while 277 doctors have been imparted training at divisional level. She disclosed that doctors from Pakpattan, Khanewal, Mianwali, Okara, Hafizabad, DG Khan and Bahawalnagar did not appear in the training on the given schedule. The Minister Health took serious notice of this and directed that doctors should strictly follow the training schedule otherwise disciplinary action would be taken against them. Khawaja Salman Rafique stressed the need of training of nurses on dengue case management for providing effective medical cover and intensive care of the patients. Additional Secretary Technical Dr. Asif updated the meeting regarding Congo and Chikungunya viral diseases. He said that a few cases of Congo were reported from Multan and Rawalpindi however, all the tertiary care hospitals have been made alert and guidelines for the treatment of Congo patients have also been circulated and expedited. The meeting stressed the need of vigorous and effective surveillance of graveyards, junkyards and under-construction sites to check the Dengue and Chikungunya.

Minister Health Khawaja Salman Rafique directed that Dengue Focal persons of the hospitals should tag data of probable and confirmed dengue patients on PITB Dashboard on daily basis. He warned that action would be taken against such focal persons who tag the data of dengue patients in bulk after days. He also directed the Medical Superintendents of Teaching Hospitals to complete the arrangements for dengue patients according to the check list. He said that foolproof treatment facilities for dengue patients should be ensured in the hospitals as the dengue season has been started.