By: Vic Larato
ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 18, (PIA) - - Due to the dengue outbreak in Zamboanga City, Mayor
Celso Lobregat yesterday instructed the City Health Office to conduct a massive
fumigation in all public and private schools in the city before the opening of classes
for School Year 2012-2013 on June 4.
Lobregat issued the instruction yesterday
during a meeting for Balik Eskwela at City Hall conference room which was
attended by school principals and administrators, police and fire officers,
barangay officials and other stakeholders.
It was suggested that schools belonging to
barangays with the highest number of dengue cases will be priority of the
fumigation to be carried out by CHO personnel. However, barangays with fogging
machines are requested to conduct the fumigation in their schools with CHO providing
the necessary chemical, considering that the CHO has only three fogging
machines.
The chief executive said that the
fumigation should start next week from May 21 to Jun 3, when the schools are
having their Brigada Eskwela. Cleaning of school surroundings is requested
before fumigation to ensure that dengue-carrying mosquitoes are killed.
Priority of fumigation is given to public
schools in barangays Tumaga, Tugbungan, Canelar, Tetuan, Guiwan, Putik, Sta. Maria,
San Roque, Talon-Talon, Baliwasan, Sta.Catalina, Upper Calarian, Sta. Barbara,
San Jose Gusu, Mampang, Lunzuran, and Upper Pasonanca including the Zamboanga
City Central School (East and West).
The fumigation will cover at least two
schools every day. Private schools may be fumigated upon request by their
administrators.
Likewise, Lobregat reminded school principals
and administrators of their responsibility to ensure that their respective
schools are always clean. “Non-functional toilets should be made functional,
broken window panes and doorknobs should be replaced. The condition of a toilet
is a reflection of people using it,” he said.
It can be recalled, a dengue outbreak was
declared in Zamboanga City following the reported 774 dengue cases with 9
fatalities from January 1 to April 30, this year. Massive cleanup has already
been conducted in all barangays.
Meanwhile, Lobregat has also directed the
local police to make sure that security and traffic measures are in place in
all schools, especially those located within the city proper, during the
opening of classes.
Police identified
the following schools where security and traffic measures will be implemented:
Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Universidad de Zamboanga, Southern City
Colleges, Chong Hua High School, St. Joseph High School, Zamboanga City State
Polytechnic College, Western Mindanao State University, MEIN College, Pilar
College, Claret High School, Zamboanga National High School West, Zamboanga
City High School Main, East and West Central School, Brent College, Baliwasan
Central School, San Jose Elementary School, among others. ( (JPA/VL/CIO/PIA9-ZBST)
