During a meeting held in Gampaha to review progress of dengue prevention programme, Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne proposed to increase the fine for keeping mosquito-breeding places in their environs up to Rs 25,000.
He further said the laws should be amended to control spreading the dengue and suggested to make it a legal obligation to pay a compensation to the immediate relatives of people, who die due to dengue by those who maintain dengue breeding sites in respective areas .
According to the Dengue Control Unit, so far 76 people have died due to the dengue this year. Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry noted that during the last 12 months of the year 2016, 47,182 suspected dengue cases have been reported to the Epidemiology Unit from all over the island. Approximately 49.73% of dengue cases were reported from the Western Province.
The highest numbers of dengue cases were reported during the 29th week of 2016. According to Dr. Prashila Samaraweera, Consultant Physician of the National Dengue Control Unit with the continuous inspections the percentage of houses that has dengue breeding places had reduced. She said, however, the response of the institutions including the government ones are not very positive regarding destroying mosquito breeding places.
