THE PROJECTED increase in dengue cases in Iloilo province – based on the three-year surge cycle of the mosquito-borne disease – did not happen this 2022. We can now heave a sigh of relief.
How did this happen?
The credit goes to all Ilonggos and the provincial government. The campaign targeting the breeding grounds of dengue mosquitoes worked.
Yes, “source elimination” is the best strategy to combat dengue. The mosquito vectors of dengue live and breed in clean, stagnant water. Eliminate this and there would be no dengue mosquitoes.
On the other hand, local government units must be warned against chemical fogging and spraying operations to eradicate dengue mosquitoes. The safety aspects of this strategy must be thoroughly studied.
We’ve been seeing well-meaning government personnel conducting fogging and spraying activities that have been proven ineffective in stopping the reproductive lifecycle of dengue mosquitoes. In fact, the Department of Health discourages indiscriminate fogging and only recommends it when there is an impending outbreak in potential hotspots as evaluated by health officers.
In addition to being the least effective measure versus the dengue bane, we are also concerned over the potential harm that chemical fogging and spraying can cause to people, especially to young children and the elderly in densely populated places.
For the safety of sanitation workers and the community members at large, we urge the authorities to disseminate safety guidelines on the fogging and spraying of chemicals into the surroundings, giving due emphasis to essential precautions and safe alternatives.
Meanwhile, properly managing common household and personal trash cannot be overemphasized. Discarded glass and plastic bottles, tin cans, coconut shells, plastic bags, polystyrene containers, snack packs and sachets should not be simply thrown anywhere as these items can gather and hold water and turn into ugly breeding sites for mosquitoes.
The public should also always pay attention to how recyclables are stored, ensuring that they are kept dry and clean so as not to attract mosquitoes, as well as roaches and rodents.
In other words, ecological solid waste management is a practical strategy to address the dengue scourge.
