Public health authorities in Suriname have kicked off an aggressive targeted mosquito spraying campaign to combat the spread of chikungunya and address growing public nuisance from mosquito populations, with official operations launching Friday in the Blauwgrond district. The initiative represents a core component of a nationwide public health strategy designed to halt further transmission of the mosquito-borne viral infection.
Starting at 5:00 p.m. on the opening day, the specially adapted mosquito control vehicle, known locally as the denguewagen, traversed multiple streets and residential neighborhoods across Blauwgrond to carry out targeted insecticide applications. This proactive preventative measure is a joint effort by the country’s Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Labor and the Bureau for Public Health (Bureau voor Openbare Gezondheidszorg, BOG), with two overarching goals: cutting down local mosquito populations and safeguarding community-wide public health.
According to statements from the Ministry of Public Health, all spraying operations are being conducted exclusively by BOG teams that have undergone specialized training for vector control work. At the same time, public health officials have emphasized that successful chikungunya control cannot be achieved through government spraying alone. Active participation and cooperation from local residents are critical to long-term success in reducing mosquito breeding grounds.
To this end, authorities have issued an urgent call for Blauwgrond residents to eliminate all sources of standing water around their homes and properties. Common spaces that act as ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes include water collected in buckets, discarded bottles, plant pots, old tires, and clogged rain gutters, all of which can be easily removed or drained to stop new mosquito eggs from hatching.
In addition to eliminating standing water, BOG has outlined a series of key precautionary measures for residents to follow while spraying is taking place in their neighborhood. These guidelines advise residents to keep windows and exterior doors open to allow insecticide to reach outdoor-adjacent mosquito resting spaces; cover all food and drinking water containers securely to avoid contamination; relocate pets and caged birds to protected areas away from sprayed zones; keep infants and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions in closed, unsprayed spaces during treatment hours; and store all loose clothing items indoors to prevent exposure to spray residue.
Spraying operations will continue across different zones of Blauwgrond from Monday, May 18 through Friday, May 22, with all daily treatments scheduled to run between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The daily route breaks down as follows: May 18 will cover the Morgenstondstraat corridor, Anton Dragtenweg, Powisistraat, Kleinestraat, Verlengde Gompertstraat, Surivillage 1, 2 and 4, and all connecting inner roads; May 19 will include Powisistraat, Anton Dragtenweg, Bonistraat, Basitostraat, Abonestraat, Kristalstraat, and all linked inner streets; May 20 will treat the Bonistraat to Anton Dragtenweg corridor, Tweekinderweg/Mr. R.W. Thurkowstraat, Basitostraat, and connecting inner roads; May 21 will focus on Tweekinderweg, Anton Dragtenweg, Jan Steenstraat, Mr. R.W. Thurkowstraat, and adjacent inner roads; and May 22 will cover Copernicusstraat, Anton Dragtenweg, Plutostraat, and Mr. R.W. Thurkowstraat, including all connecting inner roads.
BOG has also added a key caveat to the schedule: no spraying operations will be conducted during periods of heavy rainfall, as precipitation renders insecticide treatments ineffective against mosquito populations.