Dengue control week from October 7

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The National Dengue Control Week will take place from October 7 to 13 countrywide as a precautionary measure. Dengue can spread with the rain. The Ministry was able to control dengue with the assistance of the Presidential Task Force, other organizons, institutions and individuals, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

Addressing a press briefing at Mahaweli Centre yesterday Minister Sirisena said that the pilot project of controlling dengue using Cuban BTI bacteria will take place at Mahanuwara and Gampola, the two areas badly hit by the disease in the past. The bacteria arrived from Cuba two weeks ago. The locally made BT bacteria is available to control dengue. Daxtran 40 saline is also available for critical dengue patients. Drugs worth Rs. 144 million were imported to Sri Lanka four months before to treat serious patients but no patient had been reported during the past three months as a result of cleaning garbage under the dengue control program.

The dengue control activities will be focused on religious institutions and pre-schools on October 8 (Friday). October 9 (Saturday) will be allocated for inspecting boarding houses and places which provide accommodation for people. Inspections will be carried out with the participation of Grama Niladharis of the relevant areas. All public places in the country, especially cemeteries are to be inspected on October 10 (Sunday). Schools all over the country will be inspected on October 11 (Monday), the Minister said.

Arrangements have already been made to inspect all empty lands including abandoned lands in the country on October 12 (Tuesday). State and non-Government institutions will be subjected to inspection on October 13 (Wednesday), the last day of the National Dengue Control week. Members of armed forces, health staffs, State and private organizations, members of civil defence committees are among those who will take part in the program, the Minister added.