PH intensifies anti-dengue activities as it observes ASEAN Dengue Day

Posted by Phoebe Salvador on

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“Walang lamok, walang dengue: Mag 4S kontra dengue” is the theme of this year’s ASEAN Dengue Day in the Philippines, June 15. Photo courtesy of the Department of Health (DOH)

By Phoebe Salvador
Eagle News Service

(Eagle News) — As a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines conducted awareness campaigns for targeted individuals in observance of the 8th ASEAN Dengue Day (ADD) on Friday, June 15.

The Department of Health (DOH) set “Kung Walang Lamok, Walang Dengue: Mag 4S Kontra Dengue” as the theme of the local observance of ADD this year.

The DOH outlined the following 4S strategies:
– search and destroy mosquito breeding places;
– secure self-protection;
– seek early consultation; and
– support fogging or spraying only in hotspot areas where an increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent impending outbreak.

“Our goal to prevent dengue starts within ourselves by maintaining cleanliness in our surroundings by emptying containers of stagnant waters to eliminate breeding places of Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said, adding that the said 4s strategies are effective in preventing dengue cases and deaths.

The DOH reported that this year’s dengue awareness campaigns were concentrated in Puerto Princesa, Palawan after having the highest incidence of dengue among the cities of MIMAROPA.

Different activities such as Scientific Forum for Dengue Program Implementation, poster making contest for school children, motorcades, street dances, puppet shows, hospital visits and a visit to the Insectary were conducted to mark the day.  Community members even held an ASEAN Dengue Walk, and other activities that focused on searching and destroying mosquito breeding places in the communities.

According to DOH, from January 1 to May 26, 2018, the number of dengue cases nationwide reached 37,959, which is seven percent lower compared to last year’s 40,993 recorded within the same period.
The DOH said the areas with the highest dengue incidence are the National Capital Region (6,493 cases), CALABARZON (6,296), Central Luzon (5,997), Northern Mindanao (2,540), Western Visayas (2,314), and Central Visayas (2,241).

The ASEAN Dengue Day (ADD) is an advocacy event held every June 15 to increase public awareness of dengue, mobilize resources for its prevention and control, and demonstrate the ASEAN’s commitment to tackling the disease. It was agreed upon during the 10th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting in 2010.

This year’s ADD regional commemorative program will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and will be attended by representatives of ASEAN and international partners. The theme is “One Asian Community against Dengue”.