DNCC to conduct research work
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is planning to conduct research from April to May to make anti-mosquito drives more effective. DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam took the decision after a recent visit to the US.
DNCC also decided to take help from a third party for laboratory facilities, which is essential for such research.
Currently, none of the city corporations in Dhaka have research facilities, for which they conduct their anti-mosquito drives haphazardly, said experts.
"In the US, they do research work before going for action at the field level. We are taking action without any research work, which is a systematic error. So, we do not understand which types of pesticides are required in which area," said the mayor.
We are planning to take help either from the lab of Jahangirnagar University or the one under Communicable Disease Control of Directorate General of Health Services. We have already held two meetings in this regard.
He said the US experts suggested building a lab along with necessary experts and technicians to make anti-mosquito activities more effective.
"We are planning to take help either from the lab of Jahangirnagar University or the one under Communicable Disease Control of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). We have already held two meetings in this regard," he said.
Atiqul said they need the help from a third party as it will take time to build a new lab for DNCC.
In the US, authorities catch mosquitoes and send them to the lab. Entomologists then analyse and decide which kind of pesticide will be applicable for the area, said the mayor.
Another step the US government takes is publishing cartoons as part of awareness campaigns for kindergartens and high schools.
He also said the US authorities don't usually use fogger machines to kill mosquitoes, as they mainly focus on controlling breeding. They also emphasise on keeping all waterbodies clean.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY
After the 2019 dengue outbreak, when the country witnessed over one lakh dengue patients, experts gave the idea of an integrated vector-management policy (IVMP), but it has not seen the light of day.
According to the IVMP, a separate institute is needed to conduct research and regularly share updates with agencies engaged in eradicating Aedes mosquitoes.
Appreciating the recent development, entomologist of Jahangirnagar University Prof Kabirul Bashar said, " The authorities are finally thinking of modernising the anti-mosquito drives. We hope DNCC will implement this, and the idea will not only remain on paper."
GM Saifur Rahman, an entomologist at Bangladesh National University, echoed the same.
Saifur said first of all, mosquito-control workers of city corporations will have to identify breeding spots before applying insecticides. Authorities will also have to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the insecticides they are applying.
Comments