'Dengue campaign improves health'

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The dengue control campaign carried out countrywide during the recent past improved the safety and health of the public as a whole, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

The Minister said removing and destroying garbage is one major part of the National Dengue Control Program and removal of garbage improved people's health significantly. A lot of animals move around garbage dumps causing various health problems. The country did not have any rabies deaths during the past three months. Removal and disposal of garbage improved health of the public. He expressed these views during the Provincial Health Minister's Summit held at the National Blood Centre, Colombo 5 yesterday.

The Minister said a National Dengue Control Week will be declared from October 7 to 14.

Dengue was controlled with the assistance of all sectors but there is a possibility for dengue to spread again with ongoing rains.

Therefore, continuous attention should be paid and disposal of dengue mosquito breeding sites is essential. "I request all Provincial Health authorities to pay attention towards dengue control," he said.

Destroying mosquito breeding sites help destroy all types of mosquitoes and control other diseases spread through mosquitoes such as Japanese Encephalitis, Malaria and Filaria, Minister Sirisena added.