THERE was a king in a country. He trusted no one. So he trained a monkey and engaged it in his security. The monkey also remains a constant companion of the king, like a good-natured security guard. One day, the monkey saw the king resting and a mosquito was sitting on his cheek. The monkey tried hard but was unable to drive out the mosquito. Finally, the monkey got angry and brought a very sharp sword. When he brought the sword, the mosquito flew from his cheek and fell on the king鈥檚 neck. Immediately, the monkey swung the sword with all its strength with the sharp sword. The mosquito flew away with ease and the rest is history.
Is our present state of mosquito management going to be like this wise king? For mosquito control, reliance on chemical agents like larvicides or adulticides alone leads to detrimental action. Where toxic substances are to be used, the environment and its natural components, both biotic and abiotic, including the presence and conservation of biodiversity, must be taken into account.
The responsibility should be in the hands of those who will conduct the mosquito eradication programme, taking into consideration the practical aspect. If the environment of a particular place is not suitable for living organisms, the entire ecosystem 鈥� terrestrial ecosystem or aquatic ecosystem 鈥� will be destroyed. China is at the top in the field of pesticide application on the Asian continent.
And among, SAARC countries, Bangladesh is at the top. Aquatic and terrestrial environments are already severely compromised by toxic substances used in agriculture. On top of that, the application of adulticides to mosquitoes has made the environment and larvicide application to the water highly toxic. There is no substitute for a holistic approach or comprehensive management to protect against this toxin.
All the methods used in this joint management will be compatible with each other. They must be synergistic with each other, not antagonistic at all. That is, they will enhance each other鈥檚 actions and never be in opposition to each other. And pesticides or chemicals should be applied rationally. It means that where there is a high concentration of mosquitoes, some other method should be considered to apply insecticides.
It is very important to remember that the application of insecticides does not harm the natural enemies of the mosquito, such as predators, parasites or pathogens. Damaging the mosquito鈥檚 natural enemies means doubling the mosquito鈥檚 strength. So I remember the previous story. The target was the mosquito, but the monkey unknowingly brought the king into the pages of history.
In the same way, are we using such weapons without understanding and using them in an appropriate way? Once upon a time, dengue was called a neglected tropical disease, i.e., a disease of the underprivileged, but now the priviledged people are also succumbing to this terrible disease. At its root lies the lack of concerted, holistic action.
Residents of Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Bashundhara, Uttara, Dhanmondi and all other areas enjoy all the facilities of life, but they can never be protected from mosquito-borne diseases by keeping mosquito breeding grounds around their houses and garages. There is only one way to control the mosquito menace, and that is through integrated joint management. That is, by raising awareness among people of all classes and professions, the suppression of the Aedes mosquito must be ensured in an organised manner.
These same factors also act to increase or decrease the density of harmful microorganisms and insects. If the environment is sick, then its harmful living elements will definitely try to get more benefit from the environment. And if the health of the environment is good, the microorganisms and insects are weak.
So, our main responsibility is to ensure the good health of the environment by protecting the balance of the ecology. And for this work, coordination is required. Coordination must be based on mutuality. Never combine parasitically or antagonistically at any site. Along with this symbiotic coordination, overall action has to be performed on the basis of everyone鈥檚 respective responsibilities.
Harmonic systems should be brought in. A sound-producing device, for example, only produces sound that makes noise. And many musical instruments, together, can create a melodious melody. Songs are created through this melody and rhythm. Similarly, a single method or single effort can never bring success in any particular matter. Success requires concerted action by all. A study conducted on the environmentally friendly and economically viable Wolbachia bacterium found this biological agent to be highly effective in populated areas.
It is estimated that about $50 million will be saved every year if the system can be properly implemented. As all the media are playing an important role in increasing public awareness and participation, in the same way, the process of mosquito breeding and destroying its breeding ground should be highlighted in various competitive programmes in schools and colleges.
This dengue menace can only be ended by implementing a balanced system with the active participation of everyone in holistic efforts.
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Dr Md Golam Sharower is professor and head of entomology, National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine.