Thursday, 26 February 2009

New spray campaign targets mosquitoes

The Phnom Penh Post

Written by Khuon Leakhana
Thursday, 26 February 2009

THE Ministry of Health launched a spray campaign earlier this month to combat the rise in Culex mosquitoes throughout the capital, Phnom Penh Health Department Director Veng Thai told the Post Monday.

The campaign is set to last until mid-April.

Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema said City Hall would provide about US$30,000 for the campaign. The Culex mosquito is unable to transmit malaria or dengue fever, but Kep Chuktema said it was nevertheless "important to dissipate the mosquitoes" using pesticides.

"We think mosquitoes come into existence because of the unclean living habits of people who never manage garbage properly," he said.

The spray campaign will target drainage areas and flooded places, which often turn into breeding grounds, as well as the city centre as a whole, said Ngan Chantha, director of the ministry's anti-dengue fever program.

In addition to the spray campaign, Kep Chuktema said officials had also launched an education campaign to instruct people to keep their houses clean as well as to inform them that Culex mosquitoes are relatively harmless.

Ly Pichey, 30, who lives in Tuol Sangke commune, Russey Keo district, said he welcomed the campaign because he lives near a flooded area infested with Culex mosquitoes.

"The government should go see and spray pesticides there," he said.

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