South Dhaka mayor launches anti-mosquito drive amid Chikungunya spread

In the face of scathing criticism over Chikungunya, the Dhaka South mayor has launched a ‘crash programme’ to eliminate mosquitoes in his part of the capital, hoping the results will show within four weeks.

“I want to say categorically that the current Chikunguniya situation cannot be called an epidemic. I hope, with the help of everyone, the situation in my area will come under control within three to four weeks,” Mohammad Sayeed Khokan said on Friday.

He believed the prevalence of Chikungunya in Dhaka South City Corporation or DSCC area was less than that of other parts of the capital.

The mayor said there is a change in approach to the new eradication programme. “We are combining our resources to concentrate on one area at a time and gradually cover the whole DSCC region.”

“Earlier, the resources were spread over all the 57 wards,” he said.

"A total of 296 employees armed with 156 fogger machines will cover all the 57 wards one after another,” Khokan added.

On the first day on Friday, 11 wards in Zone-4 were to be covered.

All the marshlands and canals would be sprayed with insecticide to kill mosquito larva while fogger machines would eliminate flying mosquitos. The public awareness programme would also continue alongside the ‘crash drive.’

Both Dhaka South and North city corporations have come under heavy criticism following the outbreak of Chikungunya disease at the start of the rainy season.

Even Health Minister Mohammed Nasim held the city corporation authorities responsible for the alarming spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

However, on Friday, Dhaka North Mayor Annisul Huq told a press conference that “the mosquitoes being bred in drains are not spreading the disease, rather the Aedis mosquitos bred in stagnant fresh water at home is the main cause of the disease”.

Huq also said it was not possible for the Dhaka North City Corporation or DNCC to get into every household to exterminate mosquitoes.

“I can’t go into your house and hang mosquito nets. I can’t spray insecticide on stagnant water pot inside your homes. The homegrown mosquitoes are spreading the disease. We can’t reach there.”

His comment created a fresh wave of criticism.

At the inaugural ceremony, DSCC Mayor Khokan was asked about the comment his colleague in the North made. “If anyone asked us to spray inside his/her house, we would do that,” he replied.

But, Khokan said the city corporation cannot do the job alone, it needs public support and awareness to combat mosquito and Chikunguniya spread.

He asked the people not to get panicked with Chikungunya. “There may be an outbreak of diseases, but we have to tackle them together and with patience.”