I was a public health inspector for 40 years and am now retired. I refer to the letter, “To stamp out dengue, raise fines” (April 23).

One of my main duties was to attend to and investigate mosquito complaints and I disagree that raising fines would stamp out dengue.

The authorities’ main focus should be on community engagement, as public health personnel cannot be everywhere to check for mosquito breeding.

Thus, mobilising and encouraging members of the public to check their homes for potential breeding grounds, such as flower vases, planter boxes, gully traps and trays under the air-conditioners, are critical to success in dengue control in public housing estates.

There are also other main sources of mosquito breeding, in my experience.

These include water storage tanks on the rooftops of public apartment blocks, which are often overlooked by public health officers, as well as basement sumps in buildings, sumps in fish farms and any hollow into which water drains.

Building and construction activity has never been greater, and construction sites are another main source of dengue.

As mosquitoes are the main culprits behind dengue, the emphasis should be on preventing and destroying mosquito breeding grounds, with the community’s help.