Lanka Sites

A consignment of 10,000 bottles of much awaited Cuban biolarvicide BTI (Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensis) reached the Colombo harbour yesterday and the Health Ministry is to utilize them in the dengue prevention campaign in all MOH divisions in the Kandy District as a pilot project. According to Health Ministry spokesman, the Cuban BTI bacteria would be used in dengue control activities in other districts too on the success of the pilot project. A high level meeting is to be held at the Ministry today to discuss on what quantity this bacteria should be utilized in the Kandy district initially.

The Government has spent Rs 35 million for the purchase of Cuban bacteria. Meanwhile, the Ministry yesterday said the usage of local BTI bacteria in the control of Dengue epidemic has been successful and the larvae is completely destroyed by the bacteria within 48 hours. The pilot project was launched by the Ministry in the Peliyagoda area and health officials scrutinized how the dengue larvae was being destroyed by the bacteria. He said the Medical Research Institute (MRI) has carried out a comprehensive study on the residual activity of the bacteria and its report would be handed over to the Malaria Prevention Campaign today which has been tasked to play a pivotal role in the dengue prevention program.

This report will outline how long the bacteria will be active after it is sprayed to a breeding place. He said this study would help the officials to decide on how frequently this bacteria needs to be sprayed. He added that the Ministry will mainly use local BTI bacteria for dengue control activity. “Priority would given to the local BTI bacteria,” he added A scientist at the Industrial Technology Institute told the Daily News yesterday that residual activity of local BTI bacteria may last in 20 or 24 days.

“The longevity of bacterial activation depends on the environment and the place we spray the bacteria,” she said. However, a Medical Officer of the Epidemiological Unit of the Health Ministry yesterday told the Daily News that a number of dengue cases may increase with the onset of monsoonal rain from the mid of September to November. He said the number of dengue cases have seen tremendous increase during the monsoonal rain in June. He stressed the importance of being ready for the imminent dengue threat with the onset of monsoonal rains.

@ Daily News:By Chaminda PERERA