July 05, Colombo: Sri Lanka will implement a four-year program to detect and identify areas with a high risk of dengue spread and identify dengue patients early.

The project, to be carried out under the direct purview of the Chief Epidemiologist, aims to develop an early warning system for dengue in the country and support capacity building in the healthcare system.

A report submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena has identified Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kurunegala, Batticaloa, Matara, Kegalle, Puttalam and Ratnapura Districts as high risk districts for dengue.

The Cabinet earlier this year approved the four-year surveillance program that would be funded by the European Union providing 1.1 million Euro (169 million rupees) over the next four years.

In the first six months of this year a total of 12,454 cases have been reported with 75 deaths and nearly 50 percent of those cases and 47 deaths are from the Western Province.