Steps to combat dengue in Kurunegala district

by S.M. Wijayaratne, Kurunegala Cor.

Over 1,800 positive dengue patients have been reported from remote areas of the Kurunegala district alone by the end of June 2013. Seven out of them have already died. Consequently, Divisional Secretary areas of Kurunegala, Ibbagamuwa, Mawathagama, Rideegama, Narammala, Pannala, Alawwa, Polgahawela and Mallawapitiya have been declared as Dengue-prone zones by the Ministry of Health.

Ministry of Education has instructed all school heads in the district to organise 1,500 Shramadana campaigns during next two weeks with the support of School Development Societies and Past Pupils’ Associations. About 75 PHIs have been deployed to conduct raids at schools regularly to supervise whether school premises are free from mosquito-breeding grounds, a Senior Zonal Director of Education in Kurunegala told the Sunday Observer”, a few days ago.

Meanwhile, 200 Deputy School Heads and 2,000 school prefects would be trained on how to control mosquito-breeding and ways and means that school community should follow to put an end to this fatal epidemic which has claimed nearly 20,000 lives during past decade. A sum of 15 million rupees has been allocated for this project, the Zonal Director of Education said.