Introduction & Summary
" Dengue Mega Project " (NRC TO 14-04) is a National Research Council (NRC) founded research grant awarded under the Target Oriented Multi-Disciplinary Grants that extends over a period of five years. The " Dengue Mega Project " intends to encourage professionals from different disciplines to work together with the health professionals to control dengue in Sri Lanka via development of an operational model to control dengue in Sri Lanka, through multiple vector control intervention, new product development, community engagement and optimal use of existing technologies and tools. This project provides an ideal platform for experts from different institutions, namely Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), University of Colombo, National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS), Anti Malaria Campaign (AMC), Dengue Control Unit, Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (SLINTEC), and Western Province Health Department to work together towards the controlling and elimination of dengue. The Project has collaborations with International collaborators such as International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), World Health Organization (WHO), and Mahidol University, Thailand.
Dengue, which has a significant effect on livelihoods of people (especially living in the endemic areas), has been recognized to be a challenging emerging and re-emerging infectious disease in Sri Lanka. Despite of the, conventional methods that have been used for dengue control in terms of vector control and patient management, the health authorities have not been able to achieve the expected reduction in dengue incidence mainly due to the use of different approaches in different scales without a proper integration, lack of a rapid and sensitive method for early diagnosis to facilitate proper patient management and less usage of modern vector controlling interventions. Therefore, the National Research Council (NRC) funded (TO 14-04) "Dengue Mega Project" as an attempt to develop an operational model to control dengue in Sri Lanka using multiple vector control intervention, new product development and community engagement.
The project is expected operate in three selected districts with high dengue risk namely, Colombo, Gampha and Kandy (within five MOH areas from each) for a period of five years from 2015- 2019. Entomological monitoring will be carried out in these three districts to prepare a prediction model for transmission of dengue. Levels of dengue virus transmission by different mosquito vector species will also be studied in order to incriminate the species that transmit dengue in selected study areas. Vector control intervention measures including use of biological and chemical control agents, new mechanical devices and modified dengue vector mosquitoes will be tried in selected study areas to identify most effective site specific control method(s). Early rapid definitive diagnosis of dengue patients at the field settings is also important in control of dengue. Hence, the current study will focus on developing methods for early and rapid diagnosis of dengue patients. In addition new products (such as impregnated material and lethal ovitraps) will also be developed for vector controlling of dengue vector mosquitoes.
The highest numbers of dengue cases are generally reported in the District of Colombo. In view of this situation, the project plans to cover Eco-Bio- Social aspects in relation to transmission of the disease. The study will focus on effects of dengue on livelihood transformation of people living in endemic areas, while understanding the ecological, cultural, social, economical and biological factors that influence the transmission of the disease. Potential measures for intervention (for prevention and control) of the disease will be also be identified, while studying the needs for improvements in the knowledge base of the active stakeholders, building research capacity, methods to be adopted for potential interventions and the problems to be encountered.Further, Geographical Information System (GIS) will be utilized in advanced spatio-temporal analysis of disease transmission and in developing a prediction model to predict the dengue incidence in the studied districts. Furthermore, community mobilization strategies would also be utilized to increase the awareness of general community on dengue (especially focusing on the general nature, transmission methods, vector mosquitoes of dengue, potential controlling and prevention measures etc.) and to motivate them to control and eliminate dengue. In addition to this, awareness programmes are expected to be conducted in 112 selected schools within the Gampaha district to increase the awareness of school children regarding dengue, while encouraging them to work toward controlling and elimination of dengue. Thus, the current study will encourage professionals from various disciplines to work together with the health professionals to control dengue via development of an operational model to control dengue in Sri Lanka.