The Health Ministry follows the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines in collecting statistics on the number of dengue patients and dengue deaths.
The WHO accepts Sri Lanka’s official data on dengue situation and it uses the same statistics for their bulletins, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.
Addressing a press conference at the Government Information Department last afternoon, he said that Sri Lanka allows the WHO to verify the accuracy of statistics.
“Countries like North Korea do not allow the WHO to check the accuracy of their statistics.
Therefore the statistics of such countries are not reliable,” he said.
According to Minister Senaratne, the WHO team which is now in Sri Lanka to study and recommend an intensive dengue control programme will present their action plan today (July 15, Saturday).
The team has already handed over the first report.
“There are only two communicable diseases left for Sri Lanka to control. They are dengue and HIV. Sri Lanka will control both soon. The Health Ministry has already provided all required resources to treat dengue patients and control the breeding of dengue mosquitoes,” the Minister added. Minister Senaratne pointed out that the massive dengue control programme will be launched today (June 15, Saturday) with the assistance of all media institutions.
“During the past four days, there has been a visible decrease in the number of patients seeking admission to hospitals. The public should organise groups to control dengue. The method used in Cuba and Pakistan to control dengue cannot be applied in Sri Lanka because there are many political parties in Sri Lanka and the Armed Forces cannot be given the same powers given in those two countries. Uneducated politicians who do not know the history behind the dengue epidemic make foolish statements about dengue statistics,” the Minister added.