November 09, Colombo (LNW): A nationwide campaign to curb the spread of dengue is getting under way today (9 November), with health authorities stepping up preventive measures across 74 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions considered vulnerable to outbreaks.
Organised by the National Dengue Control Unit, the week-long initiative will run until 14 November, bringing together government agencies, local authorities and community organisations in a coordinated effort to reduce mosquito breeding and minimise the risk of infection.
A key focus of the campaign will be identifying and eliminating potential mosquito breeding grounds, particularly in neglected, abandoned and unoccupied properties. Joint inspection teams will be deployed across the selected areas to conduct checks and ensure that preventive measures are carried out effectively.
Special environmental clean-up operations will also take place at schools, pirivenas, universities and religious establishments, with the aim of creating safer and cleaner surroundings for students, staff and the wider community.
To ensure that activities remain on track, a dedicated operations room will oversee the campaign, monitor daily progress and coordinate field operations throughout the seven-day period.
The initiative will receive support from several state institutions and other organisations, including the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, the Sri Lanka Police, the tri-forces and volunteer groups.
Through this collective effort, authorities hope to strengthen community participation in dengue prevention and address environmental conditions that contribute to the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.