Tadweer Steps Up Mosquito and Fly Control Measures Across Abu Dhabi Emirate

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 09 March, 2021 – The inspection and monitoring teams of the Pest Control Projects Department at Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) have stepped up efforts to contain mosquito and fly proliferation across Abu Dhabi Emirate with the onset of mosquito breeding season that runs from March to May every year.

As part of its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, the Center implements an integrated mosquito control program to effectively control pests and ensure that their breeding rates remain under permissible levels.

Comprising four stages, the program includes several effective control strategies and sustainable solutions. In the first stage, the Center surveys potential breeding sites, followed by data classification and analysis. After that it takes effective control measures, the data of which is stored in an electronic database.

Throughout the control drive, integrated techniques are used to ensure that mosquito and fly proliferation is effectively controlled at their larval and adult stages.

Tadweer teams use digital mosquito traps linked to an electronic system to record and monitor mosquito activity every 15 minutes and their count is sent to the electronic database.

In 2020, a total of 2,073,453 mosquitoes were monitored through the effective use of this trap.

Tadweer also undertook various measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in various regions of Abu Dhabi through constantly surveying and monitoring potential breeding sites in farms and construction and residential project sites. It also collaborated with Abu Dhabi International Airport to monitor breeding sites of mosquitoes that transmit diseases and carried out several awareness programs through various print, visual, audio, and social media platforms.

The field teams of the Pest Control Projects Department at Tadweer are deployed to various areas of ​​Abu Dhabi, including east and west sectors of Abu Dhabi Island, Abu Dhabi City, Yas Island, the northern and southern regions of Al Ain City and Al Dhafra Region.

Based on the monitoring of potential breeding sites, Tadweer puts in place monthly action plans for its regular control services and takes various control measures covering all detected sites in the Emirate. Furthermore, it develops contingency plans to deal with situations that require an urgent response.

Tadweer’s pest control team comprises 1,259 employees including 382 technical and inspection personnel to monitor and control mosquitos. The team also seeks the support of additional workforce to deal with any urgent proliferation cases.

To ensure effective control measures, Tadweer teams regularly monitor areas that create a fertile ground for mosquito breeding such as stagnant water in swamps, permanent and seasonal water bodies, irrigation ponds and septic tanks in farms, sewerage drains, and unused fountains and swimming pools in homes and gardens.

Last year, the Center handled nearly 3,622 mosquito prevention requests and its field teams discovered 5,303,205 breeding sites, with an infection rate of 0.6%.

Engineer Mohammed Mahmood Al Marzouqi, Pest Control Projects Director at Tadweer, said: “Abu Dhabi continues to take significant measures to protect the public health and safety despite the challenges facing our field teams in delivering this mission. At Tadweer, we utilize the latest equipment and technologies to improve our capabilities to keep the Emirate clean and free from diseases.”

Al Marzouqi added: “Tadweer’s specialized pest control team uses the most effective prevention methods to maintain the highest safety standards. The pesticides used in our operations meet all safety and sustainability requirements approved by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. This helps us achieve the best results in controlling pest proliferation and ensuring environmental sustainability, while protecting the community from diseases caused by various annoying and disease-carrying pests.”