Over 300 dengue warning notices issued

Clean up programmes in Kandy, Kurunegala and Gampaha in the pipeline

By Lakna Paranamanna

During the post analysis programme that was carried out on Monday to check on mosquito breeding sites, the Health Ministry stated that warning notices were issued to 367 people in the Colombo Municipal Council zone alone.
The post analysis programme was part of the Dengue Awareness campaign which was conducted in the Colombo District since Saturday (6). The campaign also included a ‘Shramadana campaign’ which was conducted on Sunday and the post analysis was carried out on Monday as the primary step towards prosecuting those who have ignored the repeated requests of the officials to free their surroundings of mosquito breeding sites.
“There are 11 Medical Health Officers’ areas in the Colombo District. We still have not received the total number of people that were issued warning notices,” said the health Ministry spokesman W.M.D. Wanninayake.
Under the Mosquito Breeding Control Act, the officials who carry out the analysis programmes do not have the authority to arrest the individuals found guilty, at once. “They can only issue warning notices. Afterwards they are given a period of two weeks to clear up the environment and make it free of mosquito breeding sites,” explained Wanninayake.
After a fortnight, another analysis programme is conducted to check if the individuals have still have not taken steps to improve the state of the environment. “If they are still found guilty, then the officials can prosecute them and they would be fined a sum not less than Rs. 25,000 and imprisoned for six months.” He added that the Health Ministry will be conducting similar programmes in the Kandy, Gampaha and Kurunegala districts. The programmes are due to start next Sunday with the assistance of the members of the Civil Defence Force, MOH’s, PHI’s and the Police.
Meanwhile, the death toll had increased to 122 and the number of patients affected with dengue up to yesterday was, 8087.