Look beyond fumigation and burning garbage to tackle dengue menace
It was reported that from the beginning of July, thousands of soldiers, airmen and sailors have supported the Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) in a house-to-house campaign to identify mosquito breeding areas and take corrective measures.
I live in Kochchikade (Negombo) and, alas, I have hardly seen attempts to identify mosquito breeding places in my area- no officials have visited my or neighbouring premises, although there were many people in the area affected by dengue. Somebody said households would be inspected on July 12 and if a mosquito breeding place was found, the owners of the premises would be liable to a fine of Rs. 50.000,000. No officials turned up but, everybody tried to clean their surroundings by lighting massive fires and burning all accumulated rubbish, plastic items included.
A couple of days later, there was a thundering sound and from a cloud of smoke, like in one of those Doomsday films (Apocalypse now), appeared a ghastly figure with a mask and a menacing looking fogging device. I was told to go inside my house and close the door. I obeyed but later on I wanted to find out whether that fogging had any effect on the mosquito population. Half an hour later, around six p.m., the first mosquitoes flew into the house and I managed to kill them with an electric mosquito swatter. Next morning, as I usually sleep with an open window under a mosquito net, I found and killed some 30 more of them. The Daily Mail of September, 2016 There is data which suggests that mosquitoes have become resistant to the chemicals used in fumigation and may not die. Furthermore, fogging kills other insects that feed on mosquitoes. Dengue has to be controlled at the larval stage. It is commendable that the Sri Lankan government decided to seek foreign help in fight against dengue and is ready to introduce a new method to rein in dengue.
Many Sri Lankans, believe that burning rubbish, including plastics, can deter mosquitoes. This is an illusion and therefore, the media, governmental bodies, schools and other public institutions should educate people about the menace of burning plastic items in their gardens. It is indisputably proven that burning plastics emits carcinogenic, toxic smoke and causes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and sometimes cancer. S. Mack Via email