Makati starts 6-month anti-larvicide program in all public schools

By Jerome Carlo R. Paunan

Monday 2nd of July 2012

MAKATI CITY, July 2 (PIA) -- The Makati Health Department (MHD), started implementing the first phase of a six-month dengue prevention and control program in the city’s 38 public elementary and high schools.

This is in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd)-Makati, Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Data from the Makati Health Department showed that there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of dengue cases recorded from January to May 31 of this year, as compared to the same period last year. The two fatal cases this year both occurred last May – a three-year old child from Brgy. Guadalupe Nuevo and a seven-year old from Brgy. Rizal.

In a statement posted on its website, the program, which will utilize ovi-larvi (OL) kits containing natural larvicide pellets donated by the DOST, kicked off yesterday as city health workers "planted" OL kits without the pellets in classrooms to establish the mosquito density in every school by next week.

“We are committed in promoting dengue-free communities in Makati, and so we welcome this joint program with the DepEd, DOH, and DOST. We are prepared to do our part in ensuring its effective implementation that will help keep our schoolchildren safe from dengue,” Binay said.

The local government thanked DOST for giving priority to the full delivery of OL kits, each consisting of a black can, a lawanit paddle, and four sachets of larvicide pellets to DepEd Makati, which facilitated complete distribution in all target schools.

School nurses were also oriented on the program mechanics before they conducted their own orientations in their respective schools.

Meanwhile, a team of city and barangay health workers will be harvesting the initial batch of OL traps installed yesterday on Tuesday next week, to determine the mosquito density and other components of the baseline data needed for the program. OL traps with natural larvicide pellets will be planted every Wednesday and harvested every Tuesday for six months.

Since last year, the city has given its all-out support to the synchronized action program against dengue, which involved the MHD, DepEd, Department of Environmental Services, and liga ng mga barangay of Makati.

Aside from conducting sustained cleanup operations in households, schools, and common areas in the barangays of Makati, the teams have been working together in setting up ovi-larvi traps in households and schools to effectively monitor the presence of Aedes mosquitoes and destroy breeding sites.

The MHD has also set up a Facebook account where it can post relevant information on dengue prevention and control. At the same time, updates from the various barangays, including photos documenting their activities posted in the account, have enabled health officials to keep track of the program’s implementation status. The account, Mhd dengue, already has almost 300 members to date. (ICRD/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)

Makati starts 6-month anti-larvicide program in all public schools

MAKATI CITY, July 2 (PIA) -- The local government, through the Makati Health Department has started implementing the first phase of a six-month dengue prevention and control program in the city’s 38 public elementary and high schools, in partnership with the Department of Education-Makati, Department of Health and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

This, after data from the Makati Health Department show that there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of dengue cases recorded from January to May 31 of this year, as compared to the same period last year. The two fatal cases this year both occurred last May – a three-year old child from Brgy. Guadalupe Nuevo and a seven-year old from Brgy. Rizal.

In a statement posted on its website, Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay said the program, which will utilise ovi-larvi (OL) kits containing natural larvicide pellets donated by the DOST, kicked-off yesterday as city health workers ‘planted’ OL kits without the pellets in classrooms to establish the mosquito density in every school by next week.

“We are committed to promoting dengue-free communities in Makati, and so we welcome this joint program with the DepEd, DOH and DOST. We are prepared to do our part in ensuring its effective implementation that will help keep our schoolchildren safe from dengue,” Binay said.

The local government also thanked the DOST for giving priority to the full delivery of OL kits, each consisting of a black can, a lawanit paddle, and four sachets of larvicide pellets, to DepEd Makati, which facilitated complete distribution in all target schools.

School nurses have also undergone orientation on the program mechanics before they conducted their own orientations in their respective schools.

Meanwhile, a team of city and barangay health workers will be harvesting the initial batch of OL traps installed yesterday on Tuesday next week, to determine the mosquito density and other components of the baseline data needed for the program. Henceforth, OL traps with natural larvicide pellets will be planted every Wednesday and harvested every Tuesday for six months.

Since last year, the city has given its all-out support to the synchronized action program against dengue, which involved the MHD, DepEd, Department of Environmental Services, and Liga ng mga Barangay of Makati.

Aside from conducting sustained clean-up operations in households, schools and common areas in the barangays of Makati, the teams have been working together in setting up ovi-larvi traps in households and schools to effectively monitor the presence of Aedes mosquitoes and destroy breeding sites.

The MHD has also set up a Facebook account where it can post relevant information on dengue prevention and control. At the same time, updates from the various barangays, including photos documenting their activities posted in the account, have enabled health officials to keep track of the program’s implementation status. The account, Mhd Dengue, already has almost 300 members to date. (ICRD/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)