According to BASF business manager Paolo Arejola, the nets were coated with Fendozin, an insecticide approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) to kill all larva species of mosquitoes and other nuisance insects, such as midgem gnats, sandfly and backfly larvae.
Aside from the distribution of the nets, the beneficiaries were also trained on how to maintain the nets for most effective use.
A day prior to the distribution, the residents were given tips on how to avoid mosquito breeding places in their homes and communities.
Dr. Anacleto Guevarra, president of RC Central Davao, said beneficiaries were residents of swampy areas of the two barangays known to be breeding areas of mosquitoes.
Buhangin barangay captain Jimmy Salvador admitted that Buhangin has one of the highest dengue incidents in Davao City.
The health department, in an earlier interview with Sun.Star, reported an increase in the number of dengue cases in Southern Mindanao by six percent as compared to 2007.
For the first quarter of 2008, there were already 371 cases of dengue reported in Davao City; 75 in Davao del Norte; 29 in Davao del Sur; four in Davao Oriental; and two in Compostela Valley.
However, the figures were based solely on the monitoring conducted by the DOH through their Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu), thus may not have included other unreported cases.
Dengue is spread by female aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
The health department said ensuring that one's surrounding is free of stagnant water and damp, which are favorite mosquito breeding grounds, could prevent dengue. (With Sunnex)
