Health office launches “Zero Dengue, act now”

THE local health office has launched the “Zero Dengue, act now” in its aim to step up awareness on the dengue disease, which remains at the outbreak level in this southern port city.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos said the campaign, which was launched on Saturday and set to end on the 28th of July, targets the search and destroy approach in villages with the most number of registered cases of dengue.

Agbulos said the top five villages with the most number of registered dengue cases like Guiwan, Lunzuran, Putik, Tetuan, Tugbungan and Tumaga were the priority target during the launching of the campaign.

Agbulos said the campaign involves house-to-house visitation in the identified barangays to encourage and to educate the residents on how to best rid the surroundings and households of dengue carrier mosquitoes.

Agbulos said the campaign involves different sectors that include the City Health Office, Department of Education, Philippine Air Force, barangays, City General Services Office, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and other sectors concerned.

To recall, the City Government has declared a dengue outbreak last May 10 in view of the mounting cases of dengue and the increased number of deaths cause by the mosquito-borne disease.

The City Health Office, meanwhile, has scheduled the holding of a dengue summit on July 25, to extensively discuss about the dengue disease.

Agbulos said they have invited officials from the Department of Health central office to grace the event and at least 300 participants coming from DepEd, barangay sector, religious groups, civic organizations, hospitals, and non-government organizations are attending the one-day summit.