Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2020-12-21

Updating the Partnership Agreement on the Pilot Project conducted using Wolbachia bacteria to control Dengue in the Colombo District

- An international research corporation programme named “World Mosquito Programme” is being implemented by the University of Monash with the objective of protecting global population from the deceases such as Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and Hepatitis spread by mosquitoes through new biological control methods. ‘Wolbachia’ bacteria has been introduced under this programme to minimize the spread of dengue virus by reducing its replication within the Aedes mosquito that spread Dengue. Approval of the Cabinet has been granted at its meeting held on 2018‑01‑09 to use the bacteria within the areas under the areas of Nugegoda MOH and a selected division in the Colombo Municipal Council. A Collaborative Agreement has been signed between the Ministry of Health and the University of Monash to implement the said pilot programme and its valid period has already been expired by now. Therefore, the proposal made by the Minister of Health for amending the said agreement enabling to continue the supervision and evaluation activities of that programme up to 2021, was approved by the Cabinet.