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by Rajmi Manatunga

The Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) has stepped forward to eliminate the Dengue menace by initiating a research project to find sustainable and eco-friendly methods, the SLIC said.

The disease hit the headlines after it claimed several lives during the last three months. Mosquito control programs which use insecticide-based methods have not been successful in combating the disease completely. This process has encountered problems like high costs, environmental pollution and operational difficulties.

Therefore the SLIC has decided to embark on a community awareness project which would be followed by a program to find biological methods to control Dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science.

The company will offer Rs 3 million for three years for research carried out by three experienced scientists D.M Gunawardene, Radhika Samarasekara and Shiroma Handunnetti.

The researchers are expected to study and evaluate the effectiveness of fungi, bacteria and a species of locally available, indigenous fish on mosquitoes which cause Dengue, Malaria, Filariasis and Japanese Encephalitis.

The agreement for the project was signed yesterday by SLIC Chairman Krishantha Perera and SLAAS Senior President J. Rathnasiri at the Insurance Academy, Colombo. The first instalment payment was also handed over to the SLAAS at this ceremony.

Briefing the media on the project, Chairman Krishantha Perera said they have embarked on a health program for the first time. "We do care for business interest but I believe that as an insurance company we need to support public health programs. It is among the risks we cover. If the experiments are successful we could find an economical way of solving the problem of Dengue. We hope to link up with various other organisations that have a common interest," he said.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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