India has agreed to provide Technical Malathion free of charge to Sri Lanka to support the country’s ongoing efforts to combat the worsening dengue outbreak.
The assistance follows a request made by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health, with the consignment of the mosquito-control chemical scheduled to arrive at the Port of Colombo on July 24.
Technical Malathion has long been used as one of the primary chemicals in mosquito control programmes. It is mainly applied through fogging operations, where the chemical is mixed with a special solvent or diesel and dispersed as a fine mist to eliminate adult mosquitoes.
Health authorities use the chemical during targeted vector control campaigns in areas identified as having a high risk of dengue transmission.
According to the latest figures released by the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU), Sri Lanka has recorded 79,016 dengue cases so far in 2026, while 57 dengue-related deaths have been reported during the same period.
The arrival of the Malathion consignment is expected to strengthen ongoing mosquito control operations as health authorities continue efforts to curb the spread of the disease across the country.
