As it happens so often in our context, the preparedness to face a menace is relaxed when the peak risk period has gone by and it appears that the malady might not strike in full fury. The DCC's drive against mosquitoes has not gained momentum and it seems they almost forgot that the threat of dengue was looming somewhere.

It is good news that the number of fatalities has gone down in the recent years, thanks to effective management. However, prevention is a much better alternative since the treatment of dengue is very costly and chances of the disease turning into a life-threatening one are always there.

The general level of awareness regarding dengue has improved in the last few years. People are now familiar with the methods of preventing spread of the Aedes mosquito. It is neither costly nor very difficult to keep the homes clean and avoid the risk factors like allowing water to remain stagnant in any container or place for a long time.

But the problem is the drive against dengue has never been conducted with due vigour and seriousness. Sometimes it is the allegation of substandard or ineffective larvicide being used by the DCC sprayers and at other times the rattle of fogging machine was not heard in many localities. So, the campaign against mosquitoes was never an all-out war that it should have been. And this year also, despite the outbreak of the disease, the DCC mosquito demolition squads have yet to make their presence felt.

It is a regrettable truth that a health hazard is allowed to become rather unmanageable before the agencies concerned feel the need for doing something about it. The sting can be taken out of the dengue outbreak only if the anti-mosquito drive is intensified without wasting any more time.