Creating 'dengue breeding' grounds:

'Take legal action against LGs too'

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Department said that legal action should be initiated not only against people for creating dengue breeding grounds in their home gardens, but also against Local Government institutions for not taking adequate measures to remove heaps of garbage and clear thickets, drains and over grown shrubs in public places.

According to Epidemiology Unit statistics over 13,000 people in the country have so far been infected with the dengue virus and nearly 140 persons have died due to dengue.

Colombo National Hospital, Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Peiris told the Sunday Observer that although Dengue eradication programs are now being carried out islandwide by the Health Department spending a colossal sum of money, the disease could be completely eliminated with the assistance of people and local Government institutions.

"We have received complaints in regard to the negative attention focused by local authorities in clearing thickets and heaps of garbage that are identified as heavy mosquito breeding grounds," he said.

It is also reported that some law enforcement officers in dengue affected areas have taken up this matter seriously and they too have called upon the authorities to sue offenders irrespective of whether they are ordinary people or local authorities.

Dr. Peiris has appealed to the private and public sectors to keep a close tab on this and help in the Government's National Dengue Eradication Program, launched by the Health Department a few months ago.