Health Ministry launches community dengue pilot in Colombo District

The Ministry of Health will launch a community empowerment pilot project on Friday aimed at raising public participation in dengue control, Ada Derana reported.

The project applies communication principles to strengthen community involvement and will run in several selected Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in the Colombo District. Its stated aim is to find new ways of encouraging behavioural change among the public and to make existing dengue control programmes more effective. A survey on behavioural change will be carried out as part of the initiative.

The inaugural ceremony is set for 9.00 a.m. on Friday at the Boralesgamuwa MOH office, under the patronage of Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena. Acting Director of the National Dengue Control Unit Dr. Kapila Kannangara and other health officials are expected to attend.

The ministry said active public participation is essential alongside government programmes if dengue is to be controlled.

The caseload behind it

The pilot comes during one of the heavier dengue years on record. Daily Mirror reported on Thursday that national figures had reached 93,115 cases and 71 deaths so far in 2026, with 7,777 of those cases recorded in August alone. Gampaha leads the districts at 19,825 cases, followed by Colombo at 18,475 — the district the pilot targets.

That is well above the 61 deaths and 80,905 cases reported in late July.

The launch also falls on the day the Public Health Inspectors’ Union has called an island-wide token strike. PHIs, who carry out most routine dengue inspection and larval control work, withdrew from all dengue control duties from Thursday in a dispute over a transfer at the airport health office. Ada Derana’s report on the pilot did not address the strike, and it is not clear whether Friday’s ceremony will be affected.