The Health Ministry is to seek Cabinet approval to use Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) to control the dengue epidemic – a plan which is estimated to cost Rs. 2,000 milliion annually.
A Health Ministry spokesman said the money would be required for ground spraying and aerial fogging. This would include fuel and flying charges.
 He said that to perform aerial fogging the ministry would have to provide the Air Force with the equipment and train Air Force personnel.
The spokesman said that usually per flying hour would cost US$ 2,800 and aerial fogging will be done once or twice a year.
“We are hoping to buy the Bti larvicide from a local manufacturer but if this delays, for the time being we might import it from Cuba,” he said.
Meanwhile Dr. Paba Palihawadane, deputy director of the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit, said the Bti spraying would begin once the Cabinet gives the approval.
Kumar Devanayagam, director of Bio Power Lanka Ltd, the only manufacturer of Bti in Sri Lanka said that production was costly and tedious and they were still trying to standardize the product. "Producing bio products to be used as an alternative for chemical products is costly. We purchased the culture from the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) which developed it. The primary testing is taking place an we also need to follow the same protocol for pesticides by obtaining approval from the Health Ministry, MRI and the Registrar of Pesticides," he said.
Mr. Devanayagam said they would get modern equipment from Germany and the US and production could be started by the end of next month.
The latest dengue outbreak has claimed 253 lives with 48 from Gampaha, 36 from Kandy and 30 from Colombo districts.
The highest number of cases was reported from Kandy which is 3603 and 3427 cases from Colombo. Some 3300 cases were also reported from Gampaha. |
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