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. |