Panadol, a paracetamol based product, and a brand of leading Consumer Healthcare Company GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with Rotary District 3220 - Sri Lanka, a nonprofit organization launched an extensive Dengue eradication drive together with the Kandy Municipal Council in the hill capital.

The dengue eradication effort by Panadol and the Rotary Club titled “Panadol Sahana Balakaya” focused on highly populated areas in the Kandy Municipal Council. The cleanup drive targeted key schools in Kandy and all premises within a radius of 200 meters of these schools. Subsequently these areas will be monitored for a period of eight weeks to ensure they remain as Dengue free zones.

“Panadol Sahana Balakaya”, is a Dengue prevention drive aimed at finding a solution to eradicate the disease from Sri Lanka with the support of likeminded partners. It was first launched in Colombo in July this year, targeting 27 schools and all premises within a 200 meter radius of these institutions. Each location was monitored for a period of two months to ensure authorities, residents and proprietors of relevant premises maintained Dengue free zones.

His Worship, the Mayor of Kandy, Hon L.B. Aluvihare, stated that, “It is impossible for an authority to arrest this situation in full, we must have the community support and they should realise that if the Dengue Mosquito breeds it is a danger for all the people in the area. So we need awareness programs like this by all concerned to keep their areas clean and prevent the mosquitoes from breeding. It is only then that we can fight the Dengue Epidemic. The Kandy Municipal Council is doing their utmost towards this problem and we appeal to all and sundry to support us by keeping our City clean”.

Managing Director of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Sachi Thomas said, “Panadol Sahana Balakaya” is a collective effort by both the state and private sector to control the spread of Dengue in Sri Lanka. A single entity cannot achieve this ambitious goal. We are proud to partner with the Kandy Municipality and Rotary District 3220 - Sri Lanka, to educate communities, to clean our environment and importantly and eventually create Dengue free zones through a behavioral change.”

Rotarian Dr. Yusry Mohideen, Project Co-chairperson, Rotary Club of Colombo Mid Town,   commenting on the second phase of the “Panadol Sahana Balakaya” in Kandy said “We have selected Kandy for the second phase of this Dengue eradication programme because of the high number of dengue cases present here.” He gratefully acknowledged the corporation and arrangements of the Kandy Municipal Council and Rotary Club of Kandy to wards a successful campaign. He further stated “we aim to make a significant reduction in the speared of dengue in Kandy by creating and monitoring Dengue free zones in 25 schools. The overall impact of our efforts in Kandy, Colombo and other areas of the country is to significantly reduce the number of Dengue cases in Sri Lanka.”