Call for eliminating mosquitos from capital

Residents share concerns over possible outbreak of dengue fever

ISLAMABAD:

Residents have demanded the Islamabad administration to start an anti-mosquito drive in the parks and streets of the federal capital for the protection of citizens from diseases, especially dengue fever.

They lamented that the number of mosquitoes around the parks, green belts and garbage heaps is increasing in the absence of any systemic effort to eliminate them. In this regard, they requested the relevant health and sanitation officials and administrations on Friday to ensure the availability of the necessary medicines, anti-mosquito spray and equipment for the campaign.

A resident said that every visitor of the park was complaining about the excessive mosquito breeding and there is urgent need for the Capital Development Authority to start an extensive anti-mosquito drive.

Another resident said that the health department would have to plan an effective strategy on urgent basis to avoid an increase in mosquitoes for citizens' protection from the dengue virus. In order to create awareness among the people of vulnerable areas, the authority concerned should install banners at different locations highlighting precautionary measures, he suggested.

Read Health officials launch anti-dengue campaign

Parents while visiting parks also demanded of the authorities concerned to take precautionary measures and launch a campaign to avoid a possible outbreak of another epidemic.

Citizens living in the slum areas of the capital maintained that their localities already lack sanitation facilities with ponds of filthy water that have turned into breeding grounds for mosquitos. If no anti-mosquito spray is conducted then all the slum areas of city will fall prey to dengue, they added.

Meanwhile, a CDA environment wing official said that they have already planned to conduct spraying drives according to international standard in areas from where the citizens’ complaints were reported. He added that CDA staff would respond immediately to any complaint of citizens and would start an awareness drive on dengue.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2021.