Dengue prevention and cleaning campaign continues in post flood Colombo

28/09/2016 – Colombo, Sri Lanka:  The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society’s (SLRCS) Colombo Branch, in partnership with Oxfam Sri Lanka carried out yet another dengue prevention and cleaning campaign in the suburbs of the Colombo city, that were flooded during the monsoonal rains last May.

SLRCS Colombo Branch coordinating with Divisional Secretariat, Municipal Council, Medical Officer of Health, Civil Society, Sri Lanka Police conducted a door to door campaign inspecting the environment of the households and whether they are kept clean and free of mosquito breeding sites. 

Areas in the Kolonnawa Division, which was the highest reported cases of the dengue disease saw cleaning activities been carried out in Welewatta, Kiththampawwa, Halmulla, Kotuwila, Megoda Kolonnawa, Singhapura, Salamulla, Sedawatta, Orugodawatta, Kuruniyawatta.

Once volunteers from the Red Cross inspect the environment of households with the support from MoH, a certification is been given if it is been found to be clean and free of mosquito breeding sites. If there are areas of possible mosquito breeding ground, our volunteers also engaged in cleaning the area.

This activity is part of SLRCS Post Flood Recovery support to people affected by the recent disaster. Theses activities were able to be carried out due to the generous funding from Oxfam Sri Lanka and also from generous donations from the public at large.

There are two peak seasons for the spreading of the epidemic in Sri Lanka each year: one is from October to December; another is from May to July. Currently most affected cities include: Colombo, Gampaha, Kandy and Kalutara.