Opposition Leader Proposes Six Measures to Combat Dengue

05-Jul-2026

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Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has urged the government to adopt six key measures to tackle the worsening dengue outbreak across Sri Lanka.

Addressing a meeting with members of the Public Health Entomology Officers' Association, he said thousands of dengue cases are being reported daily, with the Western Province facing severe pressure on hospital capacity.

His proposals include providing immediate transport facilities, including motorcycles, to field officers; amending the 2007 Mosquito-Borne Diseases Prevention Act to meet present-day requirements; and giving greater priority to entomological data in policy decisions.

Premadasa also called for reducing political interference to enable officers to function independently based on scientific evidence. He urged the Health Minister to engage with officials in high-risk districts such as Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Matale and Puttalam and implement their dengue control plans without delay.

He further recommended adopting the successful dengue-control technology used in Brisbane, Australia, adding that the Opposition would support efforts to secure Australian financial and technical assistance.

Highlighting a shortage of personnel, he noted that only 192 of the approved 346 entomology officer positions are currently filled and called on the government to recruit staff urgently.