Helping to control dengue

20 January 2012 03:09 am

In a more concerted move to eradicate ever increasing dengue, the cabinet has given nod to carry out a surveillance project by the Government Epidemiology Unit (GEU) supporting healthcare systems, capacity building and to develop an early warning system for dengue in the country.

Cabinet spokesman, Information and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the weekly cabinet news briefing that the four year project is being funded by the EC.

It has been reported that one third of the population living in the tropical and subtropical parts of the world is at risk of the dengue virus. Due to the increasing spread of dengue in the world the European Commission has decided to provide funding support to set up a multi-country project in the developing countries to control dengue.

Accordingly the GEU of the Ministry of Health has been chosen to conduct the main surveillance component of this project. The project will be implemented in Sri Lanka, he said.

A sum equivalent to 1.1 million Euros (around Rs.220 million) will be received over the next four years to conduct this project. The cabinet proposal was submitted by Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)