All must cooperate in the fight against aedes mosquitoes: Dr Sim

KUCHING: The public are urged to cooperate with the authorities concerned in the fight against aedes mosquitoes in their areas.

The call was made by Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kian Hui who was represented by Padawan Municipal Council chairman Lo Khere Chiang at a gotong royong programme at SMK Batu Kawa near here, today.

“We are holding a gotong royong programme here because it is near to an epidemic area which is the General Operations Force (PGA) Camp and a lot of students of this school are from the camp. As of January 18, twenty-one dengue cases were reported.

“Dengue fever is a global epidemic and endemic to several countries including Malaysia. It is caused by the dengue virus which is carried aedes mosquitoes,” Lo said.

He also noted that to combat the aedes mosquitoes, persistent attacks on the mosquitoes at all levels are required. Hence to eliminate adult mosquitoes fogging is required inside and outside houses.

“With that, I call upon residents and communities here to cooperate by spraying the inside and outside of their houses in order to eliminate the aedes mosquitoes effectively,” Lo told the students, parents and teachers present during the gotong royong programme.

He added that health education and preventive measures were carried out by conducting awareness campaigns through fishtails, banner installations, distribution of leaflets, teaching the use of abate and others, apart from checking on those who have and have not received treatment for dengue.

These efforts will not be able to achieve the goal of preventing dengue without the involvement from the community as every person needs to play a role in dengue fight.

“In our pursuit of development, our responsibility to preserve the environment should not be forgotten. From residential premises, building sites to public places, awareness of mosquito breeding places should be there to ensure that we can take appropriate measures to stop the dengue menace.

“Public perception that dengue is a problem only for the local authorities or Health Department to solve should is not right.

“We need to unite, work together and play an active role in our efforts in the fight against dengue. As individuals it is necessary to check the compound of one’s house for 10 minutes once a week to ensure that mosquito breeding places are destroyed,” he said.

Among those present at the programme were political secretary to the Chief Minister, Tan Kai, Kuching Health Department Office vector borne disease control unit officer Dr Muhamad Danial Salim, SMK Batu Kawa principal Lo Liat Ling and MPP councillors.

The gotong royong programme was organised by MPP in collaboration with the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of SMK Batu Kawa and Ministry of Health Malaysia (Kuching Health Department Office).

Sarawak Tribune BY: ALLAN JAY - APRIL 6, 2019