The World Mosquito Program is working in Colombo to protect communities from mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.
After more than two years of preparation, training and community engagement activities, we celebrated the first launch of Wolbachia mosquitoes in Colombo in March 2020.
This first release of our Wolbachia mosquitoes, conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services (MHIMS), wrapped up in June 2021.
Initially, our Wolbachia method was implemented in the Nugegoda, Mattakkuliya and Kotahena districts of the city and will be closely monitored by diagnostic and epidemiology professionals over a period of at least twelve months.
The pilot project was the first of its kind in the country and aims to help quell the impact of a dengue epidemic that has emerged as a serious public health concern in Sri Lanka.
We hope that with the successful establishment of Wolbachia, the project will ultimately be expanded to other parts of the country.
Progress updates
We’ve been working with communities in Sri Lanka since 2020 to help prevent mosquito-borne diseases. Read our progress updates to see our latest news.