Private sector backs dengue-control campaign
View(s):With the number of dengue-affected people expected to rise, the private sector has stepped in to support government efforts to contain the virus.
In a media release, Dinesh Weerakkody, Director of the National Health Development Fund, the coordinator of this project, said that this is an initiative of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne to engage the private sector in the dengue awareness campaign of the Ministry of Health.
Leading companies have all joined in to support the Ministry while according to medical professionals the problem in Sri Lanka warrants urgent intervention and the state alone cannot eradicate dengue from the country.
“The state’s responsibility is considerable in the areas of garbage collection and effective patient treatment. There are specific aspects that the public and the private sectors should take care of in order to control this scourge according to health officials. The private sector led campaign for the dengue prevention and control is through a private-public partnership according to Dr Hasitha Tissera of the National Dengue Control Unit,” the release said.
The expectations according to Ministry from the partnership would be to create awareness to (a) prevent any late presentation to hospital and achieve zero deaths; (b) reduce potential breeding places from 100 per cent to 10 per cent and (c) reduce positive breeding places from 50 per cent to 5 per cent.
According to Mr. Weerakkody, companies can immediately help the effort of the Ministry by doing weekly premises inspections, organise weekly cleaning days and display Ministry material in their premises.