National Mosquito Control Month planned

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Health Ministry has decided to declare a National Mosquito Control Month considering the rapidly increasing dengue mosquito density in the country, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.

According to the minister, he is to declare this National Mosquito Control Week at the meeting which is to be held with the Presidential Task Force on Dengue today in Colombo.

Minister Sirisena was addressing the opening ceremony of the newly built cancer treatment ward at the Maharagama Cancer Hospital, yesterday.

"This ward has been built to invoke blessings on late H.K.Dharmadasa.

"Ten ministries are represented in this Task Force and will present the plans and programmes initiated by them to control dengue in their institutions," he said.

"The Health Ministry will declare national mosquito control weeks from time to time as was done in previous months according to the necessity. Public support is crucial to make these programmes a success," the minister said.

"If all institutions in the country worked according to the circulars issued by the Presidential Task Force on Dengue, there is no room for dengue to raise it ugly head in a such swift and deadly manner," he said.

The minister further said all sectors, including the state and private sectors should work more responsibly to defeat dengue.