By:
Sheila Covarrubias
ZAMBOANGA CITY, July 23 (PIA) - - The City government has called on the public
anew to intensify efforts to combat dengue, a mosquito-borne disease stressing
that the government’s campaign will be futile without the support and
cooperation of all sectors.
Mayor
Celso Lobregat joined City Health Officer Rodelin Agbulos and staff and other
sectors in the recent conduct of massive clean-up drive dubbed “zero dengue,
act now” in barangays with the most number of dengue cases registered.
Mayor
Lobregat and Dr. Agbulos spearheaded in the awareness campaign through the
search and destroy strategy in barangays Tumaga, Tetuan, Tugbungan, Guiwan,
Putik and Lunzuran.
The
Zero Dengue, act now initiative of the City Health Office is a two-Saturday
activity—July 21 and July 28—intended to step up awareness on the dengue
disease in the wake of the steady number of dengue cases registered in
different hospitals in the city.
The
campaign targets the search and destroy approach involving the different
sectors that include the Department of Education, the barangays, City Health
Office, General Service Office, Philippine Air Force, 4Ps program participants
and other sectors.
Mayor
Lobregat emphasized that dengue prevention and control must be a continuous and
joint effort of the city government, the barangay officials, the individual
households and all sectors.
The
city government, through the City Health Office and other local agencies concerned,
is doing everything possible to address the dengue outbreak but all efforts
will be futile if the barangays, individual households and all other sectors
will not do their part, the chief executive stressed.
Dr.
Agbulos said various anti-dengue efforts have been undertaken that include
spearheading simultaneous citywide cleanup drives, advocacy campaigns,
distribution of anti-mosquito larvae chemicals and numerous others since the
declaration of the dengue outbreak in Zamboanga May 10.
Dengue is caused by a virus transmitted mosquitoes,
however dengue can be prevented through the 4 S strategy: Search and destroy
breeding sites of dengue mosquitoes; Self protection; Seek early consultation
and Say no to indiscriminate fogging.
Both Lobregat and Dr. Agbulos have time and again emphasized the urgent need for people to
search and destroy breeding sites of dengue carrier-mosquitoes, specifically
stagnant clear water in cans, flower vases, rain barrels and old rubber tires
among others.
“We have
to unite and join together. Let us act now with a sense of urgency and try to
eliminate these breeding places through the search and destroy drives”, Mayor
Lobregat pointed out.
Dr.
Agbulos said the basic and primary thing to do in cases like this is the massive
and simultaneous cleanup activity and emphasized that the cooperation of
everybody including the media is very essential. (JPA/SC/CIO/PIA9-ZBST)