P’que intensifies anti-dengue drive

As the dengue season peaks up following recurrent rains, the Parañaque City Government intensified anew its campaign vs. mosquitoes.

In a report to Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Jr., City Health Officer Dra. Olga Virtusio said that her office’s Sanitation Division under Dr. Francisco Gozos will repeat its misting and larviciding operations while a team headed by Dr. Darwin David will continue with its dengue prevention lectures in schools and communities.

She also said that all of the city’s health centers and Epidemiological and Surveillance Unit have raised their alert status.

Larviciding kills “kii-kiti” (mosquito larvae) and eggs at source while “misting” (which is different from “fogging”) exterminates those that are already airborne.

The misting/larviciding schedule is as follows: Brgy. Moonwalk (Sept. 6, 2011); Brgy. San Isidro (09/07); Brgy. Merville (09/13); Brgy. Tambo (09/20); Brgy. Sto. Niño 09/22; Brgy. La Huerta (09/23); Brgy. Don Galo (09/27); Brgy. Marcelo Green (09/28); and Brgy. Vitalez (09/29/11).

“In dengue prevention, community members must work together. Every household must exert diligent and sustained efforts to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and multiplying. The complacency, omission or negligence of one family can affect the entire community. Without this cooperation, the success of the government anti-dengue campaigns will be limited,” Mayor Bernabe said.

This LGU bids its citizens to cover all water containers; keep drainages free of trash to keep wastewater flowing; throw away empty cans, plastic cups and other receptacles; discard old tires; wear protective clothing; use appropriate insect repellent formulations; install window and door screen; use mosquito nets.

It also urges residents to proceed to the health center in their respective barangays at the onset of high grade fever.

In a related development, the DOH’s Center for Health Development-Metro Manila on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 started the second cycle of the Synchronized Action to Fight Dengue in Parañaque City with a kick-off ceremony in Brgy. Don Bosco.

CHD-MM will deploy spraymen to support Parañaque CHO teams.