DOH calls for multi-sectoral collaboration vs dengue

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Health (DOH) regional office here is calling for multi-sectoral collaboration against the increasing number of dengue cases that rose 43 percent, or 755 cases, from January to March this year.

DOH Regional Director DR. Ernie Vera in a press conference on Tuesday emphasized the need to further strengthen the campaign against dengue in collaboration with concerned agencies, such as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to help and support the implementation of Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue (ABKD), the Department of Education to increase awareness at the school level, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to promote proper waste management. “The full cooperation among community members in keeping their places clean is the key to avoid dengue,” Vera said.

Based on DOH monitoring, Camarines Sur remains to have the highest number of cases at 425; Sorsogon 110; Albay-88; Camarines Norte-63; Masbate-47; and Catanduanes-22.

DOH Bicol also urges all local government units to take the matter on cleanliness seriously by strengthening their environmental sanitation policies, as well as implementing community actions on cleanliness and sanitation.

“Maintaining the cleanliness in the community to remove all materials that contain stagnant water such as old rubber tires, flower pots/vases, cans, and gutters, among others, by disposing these possible mosquito breeding places so that vector-borne diseases such dengue, chikungunya, and zika virus can be avoided” he said.

Vera also reiterated the importance of full cooperation and consistent practice of 4S strategy, which stands for “Search and Destroy” mosquito breeding places, “Self-protection measures” “Seek early consultation” for fever as early as one day and “Say yes to fogging” as a last resort when there is pending outbreak.

“Dengue is preventable, the 4S strategy is very effective but maintaining cleanliness in our community is the best and cheapest way to fight dengue. We ask everyone to be vigilant and give your full cooperation in the community-based cleaning activities to manage and control dengue,” Vera added.