By IANS,
Islamabad : Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has directed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to lift insecticides from India for the prevention of dengue.
The insecticide has to be got from Mumbai.
There has been a rise in dengue cases in Pakistan, with Punjab province reporting over 6,000 dengue patients. About 35 people have died due to dengue.
The insecticides were purchased by the Punjab government.
The PIA was reluctant to airlift the insecticide due to rules which prohibit the transportation of the material of this nature, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
The prime minister’s instructions led to a waiver due to the dengue epidemic.
Gilani had said that the country needs to develop a national coordination mechanism for controlling epidemics like dengue.
Dengue fever is caused by a virus transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and a skin rash similar to measles. Patients suffer from bleeding and low blood pressure when it reaches the life-threatening stage.