June 04, Colombo (LNW): During the recent National Mosquito Control Week, conducted by the Epidemiology unit of the Health Ministry from May 26 to June 1, concerning revelations emerged regarding mosquito breeding in private institutions.
This has sparked a cascade of legal actions and raising profound concerns regarding public health standards.
Out of a total of 4,599 private establishments inspected, a substantial 1,220 were flagged for harbouring mosquito breeding grounds.
This flagrant disregard for mosquito control protocols has ignited public outcry, leading to legal proceedings against 981 of these entities, with an additional 3,121 receiving official notices to rectify the situation.
Simultaneously, across the nation, from a comprehensive inspection of 93,874 premises, close to 5,000 were found to host mosquito larvae, with over 25,000 households being identified as potential breeding sites.
The inspection efforts during the week extended across 15 districts in Sri Lanka, including prominent areas such as Colombo, Kalutara, Kandy, Gampaha, Jaffna, and Ratnapura.
The gravity of the situation is underscored by the alarming report from the Epidemiology unit, which indicates a total of 25,095 reported dengue cases island-wide as of June 3.
This concerning trend highlights the urgent need for stringent mosquito control measures to safeguard public health across Sri Lanka. The adverse weather conditions are attributed to the spreading of seasonal diseases, including Dengue, and the public, therefore, is urged by the health authorities and medical specialists to exercise caution.
