The Minister of Health Mr. Maithripala Sirisena said that a Presidential Task Force has been established to combat the Dengue threat and an islandwide dengue control programme has ben launched on 2nd, 9th Mondays, and Saturdays 21st and 28th.
He said that these activities will be repeated at regular intervals to maintain the sustainability of the programme. Mr. Sirisena said that although it took 8 years to eradicate the Malaria epidemic, the dengue epidemic can be arrested in a short period. The Minister emphasized about the threat posed by the epidemic and said that several committees at various levels have been established, in collaboration with the Ministries of Public Administrastion, Education, Environment, Local Government, Media, Disaster Management and Defense to prevent the growth of the Dengue mosquitoes.
The Minister further emphasized that this is an epidemic that could affect everyone and it is very important that everyone realize the gravity of the problem and participate in the dengue control programme devoid of political or other petty issues, and make their environment, work places and other areas mosquito free places. He urged the media personnel to give much publicity to the dengue control programme to muster everyone's support and participation in the mosquito control activities. The Minister made these remarks at a Press Conference held on 4th August at a Media Conference held at the Auditorium of the Information Department.
Eliminating breeding places of the mosquito has been considered as the most effective way of reducing and controlling the mosquito population. It has been identified that Barrels, drums, jars, pots, buckets, flower vases, plant saucers, tanks, discarded bottles, tins, tyres and discarded containers such as yoghurt cup etc., are the common breeding places of the dengue mosquito which does not need much water as other varieties of mosquitoes and the larvae of the infected could produce new infected mosquitoes.
Dengue has become a major epidemic in Sri Lanka since 1996 with 1294 patients in 1996 and in the year 2004 there had been 15463 patients diagnosed. However, it rose to a major level last year with 35,007 patients diagnosed with 345 reported deaths.
Officials from the Ministry of Health, Local Government, and Mass Media and Information.(niz).