People’s attitude key to dengue eradication: Expert
– Dr Kapila Kannangara, Director, National Dengue Control Unit, called on Sri Lankans and the authorities combating dengue to develop a better attitude since the responsibility lies with them in keeping the environment clean.
Speaking at the Launch Global-First Simplified Early Action Protocol for Dengue Prevention, Dr Kannangara explained, “What we need is attitudinal change in people, because, for instance, the environment as the breeding site for dengue has to be clean and changed. Cleanliness is the responsibility of the community and some from the authority handling the subject”.“As you know, the local government is not doing the job properly due to various reasons – ignorance, other priorities, and treating it lightly. These days it’s empathetic”, he added.The event marked the launch of the world’s first dengue-specific Simplified Early Action Protocol (SEAP), introducing a transformative shift from reactive disaster response to proactive, anticipatory public health interventions in Sri Lanka.
“The project is expected to run for the next two years, ending in June’27. It’s very important to have continuity in what we are doing. The project would cover the high-risk areas of – Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Jaffna, and Kandy”, he said.Dengue continues to pose a serious public health challenge in Sri Lanka, placing immense pressure on the health system, particularly during monsoon seasons and following environmental impacts such as the recent Cyclone Ditwah. Increased rainfall creates ideal conditions for mosquito breeding, significantly heightening the risk of large-scale outbreaks.By enabling early interventions before case numbers surge, the sEAP aims to protect lives, reduce community vulnerability, and strengthen resilience in high-risk regions.
“Dengue mosquitoes are not going to wait, until people finish their job (attending to disaster recovery duties). Dengue prevention has to go on concurrently, else this will become another disaster. These days, people are mentally and physically down. When that happens, immunity levels also descend. Normal dengue fever can become a dengue hemorrhagic fever, and that can cause fatalities”, Dr Kannangara warned.