Dubai Municipality reported that it has developed an integrated plan to combat the spread of mosquitoes in some areas of Dubai, based on the use of fish, smart traps, and the use of drones to spray low-toxic and environmentally friendly pesticides to eliminate them.
Director of the Public Health Pest Control Department at the Public Health Services Department, Engineer Hisham Abdul Rahman Al-Yahya, said that the municipality implements about 40,000 mosquito control service requests annually in different areas of the emirate.
Al-Yahya explained to “Emirates Today” that the rainfall in large quantities in the recent period led to an increase in the spread of mosquitoes and other public health pests, and the Public Health Pest Control Department formed specialized work teams to implement intensive campaigns to combat mosquitoes (larvae and adults) in 224 areas. Implementation is carried out using low-toxic and environmentally friendly pesticides, the use of fish, and space spraying operations using drones.
He continued that the municipality has intensified the use of modern, environmentally friendly traps that operate on their own to catch mosquitoes and get rid of them, without using pesticides in water bodies, which kill other aquatic organisms that are beneficial to the environment. Awareness campaigns are also being implemented in commercial centers, shopping centers, schools and health centers. And visiting homes, to educate the public about the best ways to combat mosquitoes and prevent them from multiplying around the house. Awareness and education programs are considered a complement to the control program.
Al-Yahya stated that the department has a fish breeding project that produces about 20,000 fish annually, which are used to eat mosquito larvae in water bodies and irrigation ponds on farms.
He pointed to the use of drones to monitor and determine the locations of water pools and mosquito breeding sites, and to spray pesticides on large bodies of water, pointing to the intensification of survey, monitoring and field inspection campaigns in investment and development areas, to evaluate the implemented control programs and operations, and to take the necessary legal measures against companies that Did not meet Public Health Pest Control Department standards.
Al-Yahya stated that the Public Health Pest Control Department is responsible for organizing and implementing health pest control operations in Dubai, and implementing field operations to survey, monitor and combat public health pests, in sites subject to the municipality in lakes, fountains, groundwater collections, and irrigation basins on farms in rural areas, and it undertakes operations. Control in all regions.
He pointed out the qualification of 160 companies that work as strategic partners to implement public health pest control operations in lakes, fountains, and groundwater pools in investment areas and real estate development areas, and in governmental, semi-governmental, commercial and non-commercial institutions and bodies, and undertake the implementation of public health pest control operations in accordance with specific and approved standards. The necessary legal procedures are applied against violating companies.
Al-Yahya said that the department supervises pest control in lakes, fountains, groundwater pools, and rainwater in Dubai, and carries out surveys, monitoring, and pest control operations in accordance with an approved program, work plan, goals, and objectives, pointing out that Dubai has 300 water pools and 1,400 irrigation basins on farms, and all of them are considered sites. Potential for mosquito breeding.
He pointed out that there is a difference between requesting a service, a report, and a complaint. In the case of requesting a service, the person requesting it contacts the Dubai Municipality call center (800900) or via the (24/7) application, and registers his data, his residence data, and the type of service requested. The home is visited and the service is implemented within Three days, and the department carries out about 40,000 service requests annually. With regard to reports, a person reports the presence of pests in a specific location, and specialized work teams undertake research and investigation of pests and locations. Its reproduction and spread, and the implementation of effective and safe control operations.
Anti-infringement companies
Local Order No. (11) requires all institutions related to public health, commercial and non-commercial establishments, buildings, factories, shopping centers and construction sites to contract with approved pest control companies to undertake the tasks of public health pest control operations, and anyone who does not adhere to the contracting system will be fined.
Dubai Municipality issued fines to pest control companies responsible for pest control operations at construction and investment sites for violating legislation, which caused an increase in mosquito spread rates.
20
One thousand fish produced by the municipality annually, and used to eat mosquito larvae.
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