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In recent times DF made its first appearance in 1994 with 289 cases in Jeddah [1](21 29’31” N 39 11’24” E), a cosmopolitan city which is situated on the coast of the Red Sea and divided into 14 sub-municipalities covering a total of 95 districts. The Ministry of Health (MoH) initiated dengue surveillance as per WHO guidelines [2] without effective vector control measures. However, noticing the upward trend of DF cases during 2004-2005 [3], the Government of Saudi Arabia established the dengue crisis management and mosquito control programme under the Department of Pest Control and Public Health of Jeddah municipality. The main focus of the programme was on vector control activities equipped with men and materials. Control of dengue vectors was started by the municipality through reputed “company contractors” to cover the outside building areas which included open areas, building under construction, blocks and bricks factories, gardens, shopping complexes, etc. The contractors applied various insecticides in the form of larvicides and adulticides and spacespray applications with ULV thermal fogging. Mosquito surveillance activities were carried out using light traps and ovitraps within the operational area. This operation was assisted by the Geographical Information System (GIS) unit, in preparing baseline maps and updating relevant data.

For indoor activities student volunteers (SVs) studying in various colleges, schools, universities and other educational institutions were involved in house-to-house campaign in different operational areas of sub-municipalities to carry out source reduction measures. Under each operational area, 22 …