‘Dengue Free City’ campaign launched in Trinco

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 October 2005, 11:27 GMT]
’Dengue Free City’ campaign was launched in Trincomalee and its suburbs by the Medical Officer of Health's office (MOH) and the Trincomalee Urban Council. The inaugural event was held at Trincomalee Town Hall during the weekend.

Dr.J.R.Prashanth, MOH addressing the meeting said health department has warned that an outbreak of dengue is imminent with the monsoon rain in Trincomalee town.

The eastern port town has been divided into five sectors and about 150 health volunteers are deployed to educate the residents by visiting their houses, the urgent need to destroy all breeding grounds of mosquitoes that spread dengue fever. The World Food Programme (WFP) has been assisting these volunteers financially.

The volunteers have been provided with special apron to wear during the campaign, she said.

She said according to a survey conducted the premises of several schools have pools of stagnant water and the heads of such schools have been alerted about the danger of an outbreak.

In 1999 only one dengue case was reported from Trincomalee and in the year 2004 it had increased to about 265 cases with two deaths due to two major outbreaks of the epidemic. The health authorities are expecting an outbreak this year if residents fail to co-operate in removing water stagnation in their premises. Already health authorities have identified dengue mosquito larvae in several places in the town, Dr.Prashanth added.

Dr.E.G.Gnanagunalan, Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services said non-governmental organizations are to be entrusted to take forward the campaign effectively with the assistance of health volunteers and residents.

Mr.S.Vipulanandan, Trincomalee UC Secretary said the council is experiencing shortage of labourers to keep the city clean. Hence the council is expecting the ratepayers to co-operate with the administration by destroying solid waste collected in their household.