GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Soccsksargen will lead the national government agencies (NGA) and the local government units (LGU) in the region in the observance of National Dengue Awareness Month this June.
Arjohn Gangoso, spokesperson for DOH-CHD Soccsksargen said the Philippine government is committed to fight the disease through its comprehensive Dengue Prevention and Control Program to ensure the well-being of its people.
He said the DOH is also encouraging NGAs, LGUs and private sectors to join in this year's observance and implement their dengue awareness drive in their respective office or locale.
Gangoso urged households and communities to constantly clean their houses and surroundings to kill larvae and thus decrease the population of the mosquito-carrying dengue disease.
“Ngayong tag-ulan dumarami na naman ang lamok, kailangan natin protektahan ang ating sarili at pamilya laban sa dengue. Mag-enhance 4S kontra dengue,” he said, citing that prevention is always better than cure.
The 4S strategy includes search and destroy, self-protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging or spraying.
The first strategy refers to “searching and destroying” mosquito-breeding sites that can be found in spaces like gutters or containers such as flower pots, vases, unused tires or drums that can hold stagnant water for long.
So it is important to clean or replace them regularly, Gangoso pointed out, saying that this also includes discarding all unusable jars, tires, tin cans, canisters or any other receptacles that can also collect water.
“Self-protection” as second strategy involves wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts, and applying mosquito repellent every day.
Third, according to Gangoso, is to “seek early consultation” by visiting a doctor immediately within two to three days if fever persists and rashes appear on the skin.
Aside from fever and rashes, symptoms may also include headache, swollen lymph glands, nausea, vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, joint and muscle pains, bruises, and febrile seizures.
Lastly, he asked the communities to “support fogging or spraying” especially in hotspot areas where there is a reported increase in cases to avoid an outbreak.
The World Health Organization reminds people in its website that mosquito fogging “will not harm humans” since it contains an insecticide “very similar to the insecticides used in most domestic insect spray cans that are found on supermarket shelves” and “the amount of insecticide in the fog is very small, and is dispersed at quantities that can only kill something as small as a mosquito.”
It further said that a mosquito fogging operation aims “to kill or knock down any adult dengue mosquitoes that may be carrying the dengue virus.”
The month-long observance is based on Proclamation No. 1204 series of 1998 signed by then President Fidel V. Ramos. As member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Philippines will also join in the observance of the ASEAN Dengue Day on June 15.
Gangoso said the DOH-CHD Soccsksargen thru its Health Promotion Unit is also set to hold an ASEAN Dengue Day press conference on the same day in Koronadal City. (PIA SarGen)
