San Carlos City Health Office (CHO) representatives visited Colegio de Sto. Tomas-Recoletos (CST-R) to alert students of Dengue disease yesterday, February 6, at CST-R Cultural Center.
At least 100 high school student leaders of CST-R attended the Dengue Awareness orientation anchored on the theme: Empowering Communities Through Knowledge.
Technical Adviser and Medical Specialist II Dr. Mary Genevieve Montaño and Health Education and Promotion Officer Dennis Villasor discussed the types and different species of mosquitoes; the dengue virus, symptoms, and treatment; and the 4S in Dengue Prevention and Control.
Dr. Montaño and Villasor also presented the entomological survey conducted where the team found out that Aedes mosquitoes thrive within the school premises.
Dr. Montaño emphasized to the attendees that only a female Aedes mosquito bites as it needs blood protein to develop its eggs; peak biting is at dawn and dusk, the average life span of an Aedes mosquito in nature is two weeks, and it lays 100 eggs thrice, and Dengue cases are increasing globally as of August 2023.
She also introduced Dengvaxia, a vaccine against Dengue that protects 9 to 16-year-old individuals with previous laboratory-confirmed Dengue infection for up to six years.
Moreover, she urged the students to actively participate in the campaign and help make their school a cleaner and dengue-free environment.
Meanwhile, Grade 12 student Aleck Duane P. Pascua of the Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics strand said the learning activity does not only provide them with knowledge and information applicable to their daily lives but also new perspectives that may help them generate ideas for a better community.
Principal Marinell Ocampo said that responsible members of the community must be well-informed and proactive in safeguarding their health and well-being; they are privileged to have experts who share valuable insights and knowledge about Dengue.
San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo also shared his family’s experience when his daughter got infected with the Dengue virus; urging everyone to help and spread Dengue advocacy for everyone's benefit in the community.
Vice President for Identity, Mission and Formation Rev. Fr. Monday Benjamin Edobor, OAR; Alternate Dengue Coordinator and Sanitation Inspector I Marc Edchelle Lipa; and high school teacher-coordinators were present during the awareness campaign.
A clean-up drive and fogging activity will follow. As of press time, San Carlos City has 4 Dengue cases. (PR)