(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – The three-month long National Dengue Prevention Program begins today (01) on the instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena and Health Minister Rajitha Senarathne.
The program is jointly implemented by the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Dengue and the Ministry of Health, Nutrition, and Indigenous Medicine.
Under the program, all the public and private institutions should implement a one-hour cleaning program on each Friday while the school premises should be cleaned by the principal, teachers, and the students. Houses should also be cleaned once a week paying attention regarding the possible dengue breeding places.
The first phase of the program will be implemented in seven districts that were not affected by the recent disaster situation. Health Minister Senarathne has also instructed the authorities to initiate a program to control possible dengue epidemic situation in flood affected areas after the water level reduced.
According to Health Ministry sources, 53,000 dengue patients were reported so far this year and of them 150 died.