Mosquito Breeding Prevention Act from September 22

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Prevention of Mosquito Breeding Act No. 11 of 2007 will be implemented from September 22. This will be a landmark in steps taken by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry to control diseases such as Dengue, Malaria and Filaria, Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry sources said.

The sources said the Act was passed in Parliament in 2007 but it could not be implemented due to certain reasons.

Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has made regulations under Section 23 read with Section 3, 5, 13 and 17 of the Prevention of Mosquito Breeding Act No. 11 of 2007.

Climate change, negligence and inefficiency, uncontrolled urbanisation, environmental adaptation of vector mosquitoes, changing infectivity and changing virulence of the virus are some of the main reasons for the rapid increase of dengue and similar diseases.

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has taken steps to control these diseases, sources said.