Sri Lanka President seeks concerted effort from all quarters to combat dengue

May 16, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena today sought a concerted effort from all quarters cooperating with the government to fight the mosquito borne dengue more effectively as the number of reported dengue cases reached nearly 47,000 in just five months into the year.

He requested public and private sectors as well as politicians to join hands in fulfilling their respective duties to combat the spread of dengue around the country, the President’s Media Division said.

The President also requested all the politicians to provide their proactive contribution in giving essential facilities for the programs initiated island wide to prevent spread of dengue.

President Sirisena yesterday summoned the presidential task force appointed to combat dengue to convene today to discuss means and ways to combat and control the rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease.

Accordingly, the Special Task Force on dengue prevention today held a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of the President.

At the meeting, the President instructed to implement a joint national program with public and private sectors from June 01 and declared a three-month period from June 01 for the prevention of dengue virus.

.He also instructed the officials to submit a written report on the issues they faced when implementing the dengue prevention programs.

The President said that in the future a number of Gazette notifications will be issued declaring the steps that should be taken by the public sector as the Government institutions to combat the dengue virus and he further said that the private sector too will be apprised in this regard.

The President gave instructions to enforce the law against water-filled places in mega building construction sites.

Similarly, the President instructed to conduct awareness programs on dengue prevention on one hour duration in one selective day of the week at all the public and private institutions as well as in the schools.

The President directed the relevant sections to arrange required activities to re-activate the producing of bacteria for Dengue prevention through the relevant companies in Sri Lanka.

He also pointed out the importance of telecasting and broadcasting the Dengue awareness programs in media for the people by making them knowledgeable about the actions including destroying of the mosquito breeding places, needs to be taken to prevent Dengue.

The President drew his attention on deploying the environmental police more effectively in the Dengue prevention by strengthening them. He directed the officials to strengthen the program which has been carried out by tri-forces and the Ministry of Health for the prevention of Dengue.

President Sirisena focused on the congestion at hospitals due to the increase of Dengue patients. He directed officials to take actions to provide them required facilities by acquiring temporary buildings at the hospitals in Ragama and Kalubowila.

He also directed to give priority for the Dengue prevention program at the District Development Committees and Divisional Development Committees. He emphasized that everybody should consider this as an emergency.

He stated that the Ministry of Finance can take actions to fulfill the requirements of physical resources and human resources for Dengue prevention.

Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Vajira Abeywardena, Faizer Mustafa, Gayantha Karunathilaka, Duminda Dissanayake, Mahinda Amaraweera, Chief Minister of Western province Isura Devapriya, Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon, Commanders of Tri-forces, and the Specialist of Dengue Ananda Wijeywickrema also participated in this discussion.