The Ministry of Health is awaiting the arrival of two medical experts from Cuba who will conduct a case study before the biological control agent Bti (bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) is used in Sri Lanka to check the spread of dengue. The health experts will be looking at the possible side-effects of Bti, if used locally.
According to a senior ministry official, the dengue mosquito breeds in clean water, which has to be sprayed once in seven days. He pointed out that Bti has an offensive smell. “No one would like to use Bti-sprayed water for daily purposes,” he said. “It would be better to reduce the number of potential breeding places than spray this bacterial liquid.”
In the majority of villages around the country, water for drinking, cooking and bathing is stored in tanks and assorted containers. |
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