President directs authorities to strengthen dengue control programmes

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed to update prevailing laws applicable to prevention of dengue and to entrust the responsibility of coordination of provincial, district, divisional and grassroot level dengue prevention to Governors of each province.

The Cabinet has agreed to proposals put forward by the President as dengue has reached red alert level with more cases expected during and after monsoonal rains.

President Rajapaksa has also instructed to review district coordination committees and divisional coordination committees and take necessary actions while entrusting the sole responsibility of coordinating all the activities pertaining to dengue prevention to the National Dengue Prevention Unit. It has been also proposed to nominate one officer in each establishment for permanent maintenance of prevention and control activities for dengue.

Dengue has killed 19 people by November this year, while over 25,000 persons have received treatment for the mosquito-borne disease.