Chikunguniya, dengue, malaria to be countered with mosquito eating fish

Karachi District Municipal Corporation Central Chairman Rehan Hashmi has said that citizens cannot be left to the mercy of lethal diseases and must ensure the provision of clean drinking water and a pollution-free environment.

Briefing journalists along with Karachi University Zoological Department Assistant Professor Dr Tariq Rajput, he said that the DMC to counter the three major mosquito-borne diseases with the collaboration of the zoological department of the University of Karachi, by using hunter fish which eat the larvae and eggs of mosquitoes.

“These fish will be put into fountains, ponds and other places where water is found stagnant,” he said. “If we can prevent the growth and breeding of mosquitoes we will be able to eliminate chikunguniya,  dengue fever and malaria.”

DMC East Vice chairman Abdul Rauf, municipal commissioner, DMC central’s Waseem Soomro, Chief Medical Officer Dr Hamid and DMC Central Information Officer Alamgeer Saifee were also present at the press briefing.

The DMC Centre has already carried out insecticide sprays in the first phase of their planned campaign.

In the second phase mosquito killing fish will be to prevent the growth and breeding of mosquitoes to decrease the chances of the diseases being spread.