TWENTY-FIVE barangays have expressed commitment to help in reducing dengue cases, as the Sagay City Government launched the Department of Health's (DOH) "4-o'clock habit para deng-get out!" program to search and destroy mosquito breeding sites.
The launching was held at the City Gymnasium on Thursday, September 5. It was attended by representatives from all of the barangays of Sagay City, alongside city officials and non-government organizations in response to the DOH declaration of national dengue epidemic recently.
Former councilor Jose Frange, who spoke in behalf of Mayor Alfredo Marañon III, said the launching served as a reminder to every Sagaynons that there is an effort to fight dengue in the city.
In a report, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the "4-o'clock habit" is a strategy that seeks to raise awareness and encourage the community to do its share and to weed out dengue breeding sites at 4 p.m. every day.
"We have implemented preventive measures, such as fogging and cleaning up our vicinity, to clear breeding places of mosquitoes and other insects. I call everyone to help one another to make our city dengue free," Frange said.
The event was highlighted by a city-wide caravan that brought messages on how to eradicate dengue and to search and destroy mosquito breeding sites in Sagay.
Kaye Navarro, a representative from the Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office, said the program was implemented to eliminate dengue in the communities, adding that aside from it being a major health problem, dengue is also an environmental problem.
"Through the implementation of 'Sabayang 4 o'clock Habit', we are able to search and destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes," Navarro said.
She also urged stakeholders to teach people in preventing dengue by cleaning the environment.
Eddie Lobaton, barangay captain of Lopez Jaena, said massive education campaign in different areas in his barangay is effective against dengue.
He urged other barangay captains of Sagay to involve themselves in cleaning up their vicinity as it will largely prevent the proliferation of dengue cases.
"Let us extend an extra mile out of our concern to fight against dengue. We need to increase awareness among our people to lower the incidence," he said.