Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on Sunday launched its first-ever pre-monsoon Aedes mosquito larvae survey under its own management to prevent mosquito-borne diseases dengue and chikungunya in the capital.

DSCC Administrator Abdus Salam formally inaugurated the survey programme at Buriganga Hall of Nagar Bhaban on Sunday morning.

Under the 12-day survey, a total of 2,250 houses 30 from each of DSCC’s 75 wards have been selected through a randomised scientific sampling process.

A total of 36 field workers from DSCC and the Communicable Disease Control branch of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) are taking part in the survey.

To ensure accuracy in data collection, the survey teams are using the digital platform KoboToolbox.

The survey findings will be analysed through Breteau Index (BI), House Index (HI), Container Index (CI) and Pupa Index (PI), which are expected to help identify future dengue hotspots in the city.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Abdus Salam said dengue has become a major threat to public life and that DSCC has undertaken the scientific initiative to protect city residents from the growing risk.

“If the breeding sources can be identified properly, outbreaks can be prevented before they spread widely,” he said.

Issuing a stern warning to field workers, the DSCC administrator said negligence in carrying out the survey would not be tolerated.

“This is a matter of life and death for people. Submitting fabricated reports without visiting the assigned areas would amount to playing with human lives,” he said.

After the inauguration, the DSCC Administrator visited the Central Veterinary Hospital at Fulbaria intersection to inspect the survey activities on the ground.

During the inspection, mosquito larvae, stagnant water and waste were found inside the hospital premises, prompting him to express dissatisfaction with the hospital authorities.

He directed the authorities concerned to take immediate action against those responsible and ordered spraying of mosquito control chemicals to destroy the larvae.

DSCC said that alongside the survey, regular mosquito control drives will continue and immediate action will be taken wherever larvae or high-risk environments are detected.