Provincial Councils and Local Government authorities have been directed to prepare a mechanism to control a fresh outbreak of dengue fever due to the onset of the rainy season.
The directive came from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting of the Dengue Prevention Task Force held on Monday.
The President observed that the Western Province records the highest number of dengue patients every year and that an effective dengue control mechanism giving priority to the WP can prevent the spread of the diseases to other provinces.
All Local Government institutes, health sector and the Environment Police should be actively involved to achieve this objective, President said.
According to the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health , around 18,279 cases of dengue fever were confirmed nationwide between January and March 2020.
Health Ministry officials present at the metting said that number of dengue patients is low during the first quarter of the year compared to the previous year and that is as important keep the environment clena to present an outbreak of the mosquito borne illness.
Governors, Local Government authorities, Secretary to the President P. B. Jayasundera, Secretaries to Ministries, Chief of Defence Staff and Commanders of Tri-Forces, Acting IGP, Director General of the Department of Civil Defence, Director General of Health Services and several other officials were also present at the meeting.
