Senator Nancy Binay called on the Department of Education and local governments to ensure that students are also protected against dengue, as the country already logged more than 100,000 cases as of July this year.

“Mas fatal ang dengue para sa mga bata, kaya nananawagan tayo sa DepEd at LGUs na mag-focus din sa dengue. Bukod sa Covid-watch, dapat paigtingin din ang dengue-watch, at kailangang masiguro na dengue-safe ang schools natin,” Binay said.

The Department of Health reported last week that the country has posted 102,619 dengue cases as of July 30, 2022.

This figure is 131 percent higher than the 44,361 cases in 2021.

With the resumption of classes coinciding with the rainy season, Binay said that the government should expect that the country’s dengue numbers would only get worse unless it actively combats its spread.

“Sa usaping ito, malaki ang maitutulong ng mga LGU para masigurong laging malinis ang mga paaralan at walang pinamumugaran ng lamok ang mga ito,” the senator said.

She urged LGUs and schools to conduct clean-up drives and integrate anti-dengue measures even after Brigada Eskwela 2022, which concludes this week.

Binay added that communities should be constantly engaged and informed about the DOH’s 4S strategy against dengue.

The 4S stands for search and destroy, self-protection measures, seek early consultation and say no to indiscriminate fogging.

“Mahalagang malaman din ng mga pamilya kung anong maaari nilang gawin upang maiwasan ang dengue sa kanilang mga tahanan,” Binay said.

The senator also called on the Department of Science and Technology to share its knowledge on innovative ways to prevent the spread of dengue in schools and households.

“Alam nating abala ang DOST sa pag-develop ng mga technology na makatutulong sa pagkontra sa dengue, kaya sana gamitin din ang mga ito,” Binay said.

The DOST has developed the Mosquito Ovicidal-Larvicidal (OL) trap system to detect, monitor, and control the population of the dengue-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. According to DOST, the trap works by attracting female mosquitoes to lay eggs on the paddle drenched with an organic solution that kills the eggs and larvae.

The DOST is also working on an herbal anti-dengue capsule, which completed its first trial phase last year.

Source: http://www.senate.gov.ph