What is the Bahrain Health Ministry’s strategy to combat mosquito season?
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Reported by Zahra Ayaz
The Ministry of Health’s “Insecticide Spraying” Department has been called on to reveal its strategy for dealing with the upcoming mosquito season. This has come from Abdullah Al Qubaisi, a prominent member of the Northern Municipal Council and representative of the Ninth District.
Al Qubaisi stressed the importance of transparency in disclosing information such as the quantity of mosquito spraying machines, contracted companies involved, and the workforce assigned to insecticide spraying. This request was highlighted in a statement reported by Al Ayam, our sister paper.
Expressing his concerns, Al Qubaisi asserted that the ministry’s proclaimed plan to combat the mosquito season exists only on paper. He further criticised the Health Ministry’s lack of responsiveness to citizen complaints, stating that even if responses were received, they were often delayed, leaving citizens’ requests for pesticide spraying unaddressed.
Al Qubaisi shared his personal experience of contacting the department in January only to have his request granted in December, a staggering 11 months later. Highlighting the severity of the issue in the Northern Governorate, Al Qubaisi pointed out that the region is significantly affected by the mosquito season due to its extensive “green strip” and the abundance of swamps.
He pointed out that since 2018, the Northern Governorate has been grappling with the same mosquito infestation problem, resulting in the elderly and children being particularly vulnerable to mosquito bites.
Al Qubaisi strongly criticised the allocation of just one insecticide spraying machine for the entire governorate, deeming it insufficient to adequately cover the area. The demand for transparency and a comprehensive mosquito control plan comes as the Northern Governorate’s residents continue to suffer from the recurring mosquito problem.
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