THE Ministry of Health’s Vector Control Services, in collaboration with the Regional Health Department, Regional Democratic Council (RDC), and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region Two, has launched an aggressive response to tackle the ongoing dengue fever outbreak in and around Charity.

Over the past few days, health officials have been rolling out comprehensive interventions, including Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) and Outdoor Residual Spraying (ORS) through systematic house-to-house visits. These proven mosquito control strategies aim to reduce mosquito populations and break the cycle of disease transmission in affected communities.

Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Ranjeev Singh, explained that both Indoor and Outdoor Residual Spraying involve applying insecticides to surfaces and areas where mosquitoes typically rest. When mosquitoes come into contact with these treated surfaces, they die — effectively cutting off the spread of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria.
“Spraying works by killing mosquitoes that rest indoors before they can bite and spread disease,” Dr. Singh said. “This helps to protect households and entire communities by interrupting the transmission chain and lowering the chances of infection.”

He noted that IRS is particularly effective in areas with dense mosquito populations, especially where mosquitoes often rest indoors on walls, curtains, and dark corners.
Meanwhile, the Outdoor Residual Spraying targets outdoor mosquito habitats such as yards, drains, and bushy areas. By reducing mosquito populations in these outdoor spaces, the intervention limits mosquitoes from entering homes and lowers the risk of bites and disease transmission indoors.

Residents are being urged to cooperate with the Vector Control teams during house-to-house visits and to keep their surroundings clean and free of stagnant water where mosquitoes breed.
The Ministry of Health continues to monitor the situation closely and is calling on citizens to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families, including using mosquito nets, repellents, and eliminating breeding sites around their homes.

This intensified spraying campaign is part of the government’s broader commitment to safeguard public health and prevent outbreaks of vector-borne diseases across the country.