European Commission to help Sri Lanka fight dengue

Sri Lanka is to conduct a four year dengue surveillance project with a 1.1 million Euro assistance from the European Commission, a minister said yesterday.

Cabinet approval was granted to a proposal made by Health Minister Maithripla Sirisena for the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry to carry out a four year surveillance project supporting healthcare system capacity building, and to develop an early warning system for dengue in the country.

It has been reported that one third of the population living in the tropical and subtropical parts of the world is at risk of Dengue virus. Due to the increasing spread of Dengue in the world, the European Commission has decided to provide funding support to set up a multi-country project in the developing countries. Accordingly the Epide-miology Unit of the Ministry of Health has been chosen to conduct the main surveillance component of this project, Cabinet spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.  

A sum equivalent to 1.1 million Euro will be received over the next four years to conduct this project from the European Commission.

Last year over 125 people died of the diseases while nearly 20,000 cases were reported.  (UJ)