Dengue eradication program:

State bodies to be prosecuted

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has instructed all PHIs and MOHs to take legal action against all State institutions, local Government Institutions and Provincial Councils which keep mosquito breeding sites within their premises. The rule is in force since yesterday.

The PHIs and MOHs will issue notices to all State institutions, Local Government bodies and Provincial Council institutions including police stations, Courts, and State schools which keep mosquito breeding sites. Such institutions will be given a certain period of time to clean mosquito breeding sites and legal action will be taken against the institutions which ignore the notice.

The Ministry has discovered that a large number of State institutions have dengue breeding sites.

According to the spokesman, the PHIs and MOHs did not issue notices and take legal action against such institutions because they were not aware of the powers granted to them under the Mosquito Breeding Prevention Act No. 11 of 2007 which is now in force.

Lack of awareness led them to take legal action only against ordinary citizens. Due to this situation, the media stated that the present law does not have enough teeth to punish offenders, he said.

Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva made arrangements to educate PHIs and MOHs on the powers they have been granted under the Aact. Accordingly a special awareness raising seminar was held at the SLFI, Colombo on June 22 with the assistance of Attorney General's Department.

In any country in the world, around 12 State institutions are responsible for controlling dengue but in Sri Lanka, only the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry is engaged in a lone crusade," he said.