The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrates the ASEAN Dengue Day every 15th of June since its declaration in 2011. According to the World Health organization (WHO), the celebration aims to raise awareness on dengue, mobilize resources for its prevention and control, and demonstrate the region’s commitment to tackling the disease.
While the Department of Health (DOH) announced last January that there is a steady decline in cases of dengue in the country, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque reminded the public to not be complacent, remain vigilant, and sustain the gains of the enhanced 4S strategy to keep dengue at bay.
To further mitigate the threat of dengue, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) continues to support the DOH by funding relevant studies to improve the dengue situation in the country. Some of these studies are:
The Performance of an Innovative Auto Dissemination of Insecticides (InDAI) for Dengue Mosquito Control in the Philippines Program which aims to evaluate the efficacy of the InDAI trap in the reduction of mosquito densities in selected cities in the National Capital Region.
The Aedes Genomics Adaptation Program that investigates the genomic underpinnings of Aedes species’ adaptation to extreme temperature conditions. To date, the program is the first to publish the full genome of a female Aedes aegypti - a piece of data which will be key to understanding vector biology.
A program on Philippine land use change and arbovirus diversity surveillance and monitoring of viral pathogens in the country which sought to investigate how land use change in Barangays Bagong Silang, Lalakay, and Bayog in Los Baños, Laguna, have affected the transmission of dengue within the communities.
In the spirit of awareness, the Council encourages everyone to follow simple but effective steps like removing or covering all areas with stagnant water, installing screens on windows, using mosquito repellants, and wearing long-sleeved shirts when outdoors.
Sources:
https://www.doh.gov.ph/doh-press-release/doh-reports-steady-decline-in-dengue-cases
