President declares three-month battle against dengue from June

• Urges public and private sectors as well as politicians to join hands in combating dengue

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday requested the public and private sectors as well as politicians to join hands in fulfilling their respective duties to combat the spread of the dengue virus throughout the country.

The President also requested all politicians to contribute to providing essential facilities to the programs initiated across the island to prevent the spread of the dengue virus.

Furthermore, the President instructed that a joint national program with the public and private sectors be implemented from 1 June and declared a three-month period from 1 June for the prevention of dengue.

He made these comments during a meeting with a special taskforce on dengue prevention, held at the Presidential Secretariat.

President Sirisena summoned the taskforce on dengue prevention to discuss the steps that should be taken to prevent the rapid spread of dengue. He also instructed the officials to submit a written report on the issues they faced when implementing dengue prevention programs.

The President said that in the future a number of gazette notifications would be issued declaring the steps that should be taken by the public sector through Government institutions to combat the dengue virus. He added that the private sector too would be briefed in this regard.

The President gave instructions to enforce the law against water-filled sites at major construction sites.

Furthermore, the President ordered that awareness programs on dengue prevention be conducted for one hour on one day of the week at all public and private institutions as well as at schools. 

The President directed relevant sections to arrange required activities to restart the production of bacteria for dengue prevention through the relevant Sri Lanka companies.

He also pointed out the importance of telecasting and broadcasting dengue awareness programs in the media to make people knowledgeable of preventive actions, including destroying mosquito breeding grounds and other measures needed to prevent dengue.

The President drew attention to deploying the environmental police more effectively in dengue prevention by strengthening it. In addition, he directed officials to strengthen the program which has been carried out by the tri-forces and the Ministry of Health for the prevention of dengue.

President Sirisena also spoke on congestion at hospitals due to the increase in the number of dengue patients. He directed officials to take action to provide them with the necessary facilities by acquiring temporary buildings at the hospitals in Ragama and Kalubowila. 

He also asked to give priority to the dengue prevention program at district development committees and divisional development committees. He emphasised that everybody should consider this an emergency.

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

Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Vajira Abeywardena, Faiszer Musthafa, Gayantha Karunathilaka, Duminda Dissanayake, Mahinda Amaraweera, Western Province Chief Minister Isura Dewapriya, Secretary to the President P.B. Abeykoon, commanders of tri-forces and dengue specialist Ananda Wijeywickrema also participated in the discussion.