A nationwide mosquito control programme is being carried out across all government institutions on Friday, with state offices instructed to take part.
Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Specialist Dr. Anil Jasinghe, said the initiative is being implemented in conjunction with National Integrity Week. Government offices are dedicating several hours on Friday morning to cleaning their premises and eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites.
The campaign comes amid continuing concern over the country’s dengue situation. The National Dengue Control Unit has recorded 84,091 dengue cases so far this year and 61 dengue-related deaths.
Context
Targeting government premises addresses a specific weakness in Sri Lanka’s dengue response. Public-sector buildings — offices, schools, hospitals and their grounds — combine large numbers of daily visitors with maintenance backlogs, and discarded containers, roof gutters, unused water tanks and construction debris on state land have repeatedly turned up in inspection drives as breeding sites for the Aedes mosquito.
The mosquito’s short flight range means control has to be organised site by site, which is why source reduction — physically removing standing water rather than spraying adults — remains the core method. A single coordinated clean-up has limited effect on its own, however, because Aedes eggs can survive for months in dry containers and hatch when water returns.
The case count has climbed steadily through the year, from just over 80,000 in late July to the current figure, though the NDCU has reported that infections began falling in five districts including Colombo and Gampaha, the two worst-affected areas. The death toll has held at 61 across recent updates.
Health authorities continue to advise anyone with a persistent high fever to seek medical attention early, as timely treatment remains the main factor in preventing dengue deaths.
