Dengue Epidemic in the wake of rains

Piliyandala MOH office & Kesbewa UC launch garbage collection campaign

By H.M.Dharmapala and Kusal Chamath

Local Authorities in the Western Province have launched a crash programme to fight against the Dengue epidemic that has raised its ugly head in the wake of the monsoon rains experienced at present.

Colombo and its suburbs are considered as the most vulnerable to the deadly disease.

With this in view, Piliyandala MOH office and the Kesbewa UC recently launched an environmental programme to collect garbage and dispose of them.

MOH Dr Indika Ellawala said the programme was implemented on the instructions of Western Province Governor Seetha Arambepola and the Provincial Director of Health, Dr A.I.Jagoda.

Dr Elalwala said more than 1,000 premises including residential houses and home gardens, schools, construction sites, places of worship, state institutions, and private business establishments were inspected under the programme to make the Western Province free of mosquito breeding grounds. Public Health Inspectors said they held a public awareness campaign using public address system to warn the people to refrain from haphazard removal of garbage and to collect all solid waste including coconut shells, plastic cans, tins, bottles, yoghurt cups, and polythene bags which could be handed over to the tractors of the UC health division.

They pointed out that several tractor loads of garbage were collected and removed to Karadiyana garbage recycling complex with the help of the public.

They warned several individuals to clean their premises to be free of mosquito breeding grounds before the next inspection or else they would be liable to legal action.
Western Province Director of Health Services Dr Dhammika Jayalath, MOH Dr Indika Ellawala, Kesbewa Urban Council Chairman Lakshman Perera, UC Secretary Tharanga Gamlath, Coordinator of the Western Province Dengue Prevention Programme Dr Wedisinghe, UC Member Dulan Hettiarachchi, Administrative PHI Sumith Mark De Silva, area PHIs Udaya Dissanayaka, Janaka Swarnage, Prasad Priyadarshana, Saman Jayasekara and Niroshan Wannigama had organised the campaign.  

Local Authorities in the Western Province have launched a crash programme to fight against the Dengue epidemic that has raised its ugly head in the wake of the monsoon rains...