LAHORE: Chikungunya is not a lethal disease and it is persisting in those countries where dengue is present because the carrier of both diseases is the same mosquito.
The main symptom of chikungunya is high grade fever along with severe pain in joints. The prevention and control of the disease is essential to save the people from the morbidity.
These views were expressed by health experts on Wednesday during a meeting chaired by the Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Salman Rafique. The meeting was called at Civil Secretariat to discuss strategy for the prevention and treatment of the disease.
Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases from Services Institute of Medical Sciences Dr Sobia Qazi, Punjab Chief Bacteriologist Prof Dr Zarfashan Tahir, Prof Anjum Razaq from Institute of Public Health, Dr Tahir Yaqoob of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore and Additional Secretaries (Technical) from Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education and Primary and Secondary Health Dr Salman Shahid and Dr Asim also attended the meeting.
Dr Sobia informed that chikungunya is identical to dengue and the symptoms of both the diseases are almost the same, however, patients of chikungunya also feel severe pain in their joints which can prolong for many weeks and some cases for many months. The experts were of the view that if dengue surveillance and vector surveillance would be carried out vigorously, control on both the diseases will be more effective because the same dengue mosquito albopictus is the cause of spreading chikungunya.
Salman Rafique said a working group consisting on technical experts should immediately be formed to give recommendations for future strategy in this regard. He directed that the working group should present its recommendations within a week. The minister also directed to send a letter to all the principals of public sector medical colleges to ask them for an immediate reply regarding the directions issued to them for up-gradation of laboratories few months back.
