Stronger treatment system for dengue

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has decided to implement several recommendations made by local and foreign expert committees to control dengue in Sri Lanka. The cabinet memorandum containing these recommendations has already been submitted by Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Public Health, Deputy Director Dr. Palitha Maheepala said.

Addressing a press briefing held at the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry yesterday, he said that BTI will be sprayed from the air using helicopters at a cost of Rs.188.149 million covering 62187 houses at Gampola, Akurana and Kandy. Domestic application will be used for some areas. The estimate is for a period of one year. BTI will be used in Sri Lanka as a complimentary measure to control dengue.

According to Dr. Maheepala, five other recommendations are on the Cabinet Paper. They are strengthening treatment system available for dengue patients with the assistance of Singapore and Thailand, providing modern medical equipment to hospitals to carry out diagnosis, streamlining solid waste disposal, educating heads of institutions and departments on eradicating mosquito breeding sites, fogging in order to avoid dengue fever developing into an epidemic and destroying mosquito breeding sites continuously. The Ministry has already supplied required medical equipment to 35 hospitals and the equipment will be supplied to another 50 hospitals shortly.

Acording to WHO Representative to Sri Lanka Dr. Firdos Mehta there are 16 institutions in Sri Lanka that have the responsibility for controlling dengue and not to one or two institutions or a group of individuals. Public contribution plays the main role in eradicating dengue, he added. Sri Lanka will be able to control dengue when the next rainy season comes, he added.