JEDDAH, 21 April 2006 — Municipal health workers in charge of spraying insecticide in public areas as part of the drive against dengue fever in Jeddah, are suspected of making extra money with a profitable racket in which they demand between SR10-20 from each household.
The charge is open for haggling. The workers are illegally earning a tidy sum of money by playing on people’s fear of the killer disease and charging them for a job that should be free of charge for the public.
The spraying operation is carried out in the mornings and evenings when mosquitoes are out in large numbers. Dengue is a disease carried by mosquitoes and passed on when they bite an uninfected person. Jeddah Municipality has a fleet of 56 spraying vehicles staffed by 122 workers.
It has been observed that some of the vehicles have been seen in residential neighborhoods spraying in the streets for a short time and then go around looking for customers. When any house owner requests him to spray his house, the driver’s assistant informs him that his fees is SR20 and if the house owner refuses the driver agrees to do it for SR10.
The corrupt practice is attributed to lack of proper supervision and oversight. Another suggested solution is appointing Saudi supervisors. However the municipalities have warned the public against any such extortionist practice and if they notice it call 940 and report the matter immediately.
