PHI attacked while checking house:

Police to accompany officers during inspections

Disna Mudalige

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena requested the acting IGP to instruct islandwide police stations to arrest any person who obstructs health officials from inspecting mosquito breeding places to curb dengue, a ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

The spokesman said that a police team will accompany health officials conducting house to house examinations to identify mosquito breeding places. He said that legal action will be taken against individuals who create trouble when carrying out the inspections.

He said that the minister has taken this decision considering the large number of complaints received by PHIs on the difficulties they face when conducting inspections. A PHI was attacked by a house owner last Friday in Dehiwala. The PHIs had requested the minister to intervene to solve this matter.

The spokesman also said that a National Mosquito Eradication Week has been declared from June 20 to 26. “We need public support to achieve the expected results from this programme” he said.