(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – President Maithripala Sirisena requested public and private sectors as well as politicians to join hands in fulfilling their respective duties to combat the spread of Dengue virus around the country.
The President also requested all the politicians to provide their proactive contribution in giving essential facilities for the programmes initiated island-wide to prevent spread of Dengue virus.
Furthermore, the President instructed to implement a joint national programme with public and private sectors from June 01 and further stated to declare three months period from June 01 for the prevention of Dengue virus.
He made these instructions during a meeting with a Special Task Force on Dengue prevention, held at the Presidential Secretariat, on Tuesday (16).
President Sirisena summoned the Task Force on Dengue prevention to discuss the steps that should be taken to prevent the rapid spread of Dengue virus. He also instructed the officials to submit a written report on the issues they faced when implementing the Dengue prevention programmes.
The President said that in the future a number of Gazette notifications will be issued declaring the steps that should be taken by the public sector as the Government institutions to combat the Dengue virus and he further said that the private sector too will be apprised in this regard.
The President gave instructions to enforce the law against water-filled places in mega building construction sites.
Similarly, the President said to conduct awareness programmes on Dengue prevention on one hour duration in one selective day of the week at all the public and private institutions as well as in the schools.
The President directed the relevant sections to arrange required activities to re-activate the producing of bacteria for Dengue prevention through the relevant companies in Sri Lanka.
He also pointed out the importance of telecasting and broadcasting the Dengue awareness programs in media for the people by making them knowledgeable about the actions including destroying of the mosquito breeding places, needs to be taken to prevent Dengue.
The President drew his attention on deploying the environmental police more effectively in the Dengue prevention by strengthening them. He directed the officials to strengthen the program which has been carried out by tri-forces and the Ministry of Health for the prevention of Dengue.
President Sirisena focused on the congestion at hospitals due to the increase of Dengue patients. He directed officials to take actions to provide them required facilities by acquiring temporary buildings at the hospitals in Ragama and Kalubowila.
He also directed to give priority for the Dengue prevention program at the District Development Committees and Divisional Development Committees. He emphasized that everybody should consider this as an emergency.
He stated that the Ministry of Finance can take actions fulfil the requirements of physical resources and human resources for Dengue prevention.
Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Vajira Abeywardena, Faizer Mustafa, Gayantha Karunathilaka, Duminda Dissanayake, Mahinda Amaraweera, Chief Minister of Western province Isura Dewapriya, Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon, Commanders of Tri-forces, and the Specialist of Dengue Ananda Wijeywickrema also participated in this discussion.