Who is affected by import of Bactivec?

In the wake of the alarming spread of Dengue epidemic, the Government decided to get down the Cuban bio-larvicide Bactivec, a variety of BTI or Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis which has shown great results in controlling the multiplication of the Dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti in Cuba and several other countries.

As soon as the announcement of the decision was made, there was a cacophony of voices protesting against the decision from various quarters including some from within the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition. The protests and expressions of concern were so synchronized that one was reminded of an old saying that if geometrical axioms affected human interests attempts would certainly be made to refute them.

While some of the concerns seem genuine and quite natural, still others seem to echo the interests of the multinational mosquito repellent producing lobby which thrives not on the eradication of the larvae but on its multiplication. Still others seem petty political where an unpopular Opposition is trying to hang on to even a weak straw to avoid its political drowning.

For others it may still be a hangover from the cold war days according to which importing “Communist” BTI would be nothing but disaster. For their elucidation it should be said that Bactivec is no more Communist than a much sought after Havana cigar which good old Yankee Dickie relished.

Those who are in the know about the Cuban offer to provide Bactivec and technical assistance for dengue control in Sri Lanka all started with procrastination and delaying tactics. Mind you, it was a gift offer and not a sale. The offer was first made last year or the year before but nothing happened until the President intervened.

Subsequent to the request to the Cuban Government to send the bacteria, official spokespersons told the media that there could be a delay since the Cuban Government has to give approval. Strange indeed! It was the Cuban Government that offered to send the bacteria and the question of its approval never arose.

Now questions are raised whether the correct procedures are being followed or whether samples have been tested. It should be recalled that samples were tested much earlier and no ill effects were found.

While reputed environmentalists including Sri Lankans have voiced no concerns about the ecological impact of BTI, laymen posing as experts have raised alarms that the Cuban cure could be worse than the disease. BTI is a biological agent which has no adverse effects on humans or flora and fauna.

Besides, Sri Lanka is not the first country to use Bactivec. Several countries are using it with much advantage. China last year commissioned a factory to produce Bactivec with the technological assistance of Cuba. Brazil, which also uses Bactivec has witnessed a record decline in infection rates from 1.8 percent to 0.4 percent in Rio de Janeiro. This is much below the WHO’s minimum recommended infection rate of one percent.

BTI, however, has to be used with fumigation and other dengue prevention measures. As we emphasized in this column last Monday, dengue control needs a holistic approach and community participation. Also it needs constant surveillance. What is urgent now is to control the epidemic. Achieving zero incidence is a long-term objective.

In this respect we could learn much more from Cuba which has given priority to preventive medicine over curative. We could also benefit from their expertise.

Emulating politicos

Politicos are strange creatures. They are full of innovative ideas. They know how to boost their ego. During campaigning we see how they compete with one another to show how close they are to the President. Having the image of the President next to one’s own earns him votes, he knows. All types of politicos including some with dubious track records began to put up such cut-outs with the President’s image that the latter had to outlaw them. However, the politicos withdrew only for a moment and the cut-outs resurfaced.

Now the tuition wallahs have begun to emulate the President. They have taken note of the President’s initiative on English and IT and have begun to advertise their third rate tuition classes linking them to the Presidential initiative. It is high time that this despicable practice is stopped.

Otherwise every Tom Dick and Harry with a knowledge of the language not beyond the alphabet would use the President’s name to gain undue publicity and misguide many a genuine student.