Aiding the mosquito control at the grassroots

While we are in the throes of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the data published by the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health indicates 17,696 suspected dengue cases reported to the unit from across the island from January to first week of December 2021.

Mosquito control and removal in Sri Lanka needs continuous attention and action even during the current pandemic! Mosquito borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, yellow fever and filariasis pose a great risk to human life and burdens the Public Health System.

The mosquito species, Aedes Aegypti is the principal vector of dengue, while the transmission of other viruses such as Zika and Chickengunya also occurs through daytime biting mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes breed in small collections of standing water around homes, schools and offices. However, a report by the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health titled, ‘Strengthening Mosquito Management in Construction Industry to Prevent Dengue’ draws attention to the fact that according to field inspections carried out in the country from 2016 to 2018, construction sites also provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

In the report, the Senior Registrar, Epidemiology Unit Dr. M. B. Azhar Ghouse states that the ‘interventions carried out to disrupt the aquatic phase of the life cycle of the Aedes mosquito’ as the most economically viable and the most effective methods to control the dengue menace.

Steps should be taken to eliminate places with small amounts of clear stagnant water from construction sites and by ‘application of chemicals such as larvicides’ to make such water collections ‘inhospitable,’ it adds.

Prevention of these diseases depends solely on the mosquito control and the elimination of their breeding places. Therefore, focus on both, human activity that leads to infestations and the vector is crucial.

When it comes to managing the home environment - the application of insect repellent, mosquito netting and traps, preventing the collection of stagnant water, fixing the gaps, cleaning domestic water storage containers weekly, applying insecticides to outdoor water storage containers are important day to day measures. Additionally, the use of personal household protection such as window screens, long-sleeved clothes, insecticide-treated materials, coils, vaporizers and essential oils will control the level of exposure.

The use of professional mosquito control services to a schedule, applying insecticides during outbreaks as an emergency vector control mode, active monitoring and surveillance of vectors to determine the effectiveness of control interventions are long term solutions. On the subject of professional assistance, Suren Cooke combines various technology, methods and chemicals to manage the mosquito menace. We offer integrated Mosquito Management solutions targeting each stage of the mosquito’s life cycle.

Initially, our team of entomologists inspects the property to detect the breeding points. Thereafter, the samples of mosquitoes are taken to our lab to determine the species. Based on this, the most suitable treatment method – be it Larviciding, Thermal and Cold fogging or ULV misting will be recommended along with an appropriate time for carrying out the treatment. Breeding grounds of mosquitoes are eliminated through larviciding. Based on the intensity of breeding in a particular property, insecticides approved by the WHO and the WHOPES are used for vector control.

Chemicals used by SCA are approved by the WHO and are safe to use in most sensitive areas. Some of the chemicals include - Abate 500E, applied for the quick and efficient kill of mosquito larvae before they can develop into adult mosquitoes. This is considered the first line of defence against dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. We also use Gokilaht-S 5EC which is uniquely designed to control mosquitoes of public health importance and Sumipro EW - a specialised water-based space spray concentrate with dual active ingredients for the better control of mosquitoes.

With expertise and solutions at hand to fight the vector professionally, why let the mosquitoes take hold?