A vaccine for dengue will be introduced in Sri Lanka within the course of this year or next, Acting Director General of Health Services Dr. Jayasundara Bandara said.
Addressing a press conference at the Health Education Bureau in Colombo today he said a scholarly panel is looking at the possibility of registering the French Dengue vaccine in Sri Lanka.
“It should be thoroughly checked before registering because the vaccine can make some persons' condition worse. It has previously occurred in some foreign countries where the vaccine was introduced without checking, ” the Acting Director General of Health Services said.
“Another dengue vaccine is now in the stage of clinical trials,” he added.
Dr. Jayasundara Bandara said Dengue has not reached to the epidemic level in Sri Lanka.
On May 16 the Presidential Task Force was called in order to launch a National Dengue Control programme with the participation of all state stakeholders.
“Only if a national effort is implemented, dengue will be controlled in Sri Lanka. There is no use of one party or few trying their best or doing their duty to control dengue. Records of Dengue patients this year has increased when comparing with the previous years. There is a possibility of Dengue Type 2 reaching to the epidemic level in Sri Lanka. Therefore all should keep their premises clean especially all dansal organizers should clean the places after holding dansal following the example set by President Sirisena on May Day at Getambe,” he added.