Dengue spreads in Trincomalee town

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 February 2004, 19:48 GMT]
The North East Provincial health department Friday launched an emergency awareness campaign in Trincomalee to educate the residents of the eastern port town against the spread of dengue fever after medical officials detected eleven suspected positive cases in recent days, sources said.

Dengue fever is on the increase in Trincomalee town. In the Trinco Medical Officer of Health (MOH) division alone eleven cases had been detected in recent days and one death had taken place in the heart of Trincomalee town, said a health official.

With the assistance of the Trincomalee Rotary Club, health officials hurriedly summoned students from all schools in the town for a discussion at the Trincomalee Town Hall Friday morning and briefed them on the urgent need to commence an awareness campaign to eradicate the mosquito menace. The health officials sought the assistance of students to do a house-to-house campaign to educate the residents to keep their houses and premises clean and to destroy all discarded coconut shells, tyres, empty tins and bottles, which are considered breeding grounds for mosquitoes.



(From right to left ) Trincomalee Rotary Club President Mr.Rajarammohan, Dr. E.G.Gnanagunalan and Dr T.Thavakodirajah at the discussion held Friday regarding the dengue awareness campaign.



Furthermore, action has been taken by the health and urban council authorities to launch a clean-up campaign by deploying sanitation workers, sources said.

Provincial health officials Dr.T.Thavakodirajah, Dr.E.G.Gnanagunalan, and Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ms. Rohan Prasanth addressed the students participated in the discussion.

Trincomalee Rotary Club President, Mr.R.Rajarammohan, made the introductory speech. Rotarians organized the discussion at the request of health department officials.



Trincomalee Medical Officer of health, Dr. Ms Rohan Prasanth, addressing student volunteers in dengue awareness campaign at the Trincomalee Town Hall on Friday morning.

 

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