GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/11 August) — The Department of Science and Technology vowed today to help the Department of Health curb the deadly dengue disease in Southwestern Mindanao with the launching of the ovicidal/larvicidal (OL) mosquito trap system.
Zenaida Hadji Raof Laidan, DOST-12 regional director, said that Southwestern Mindanao was among the regions in the country with an alarming rate of dengue incidents since last year.
“[Nowadays], dengue remains a health issue in our area,” she noted.
Citing the regional health office, Laidan said the incidence of dengue has basically plagued the region’s four provinces.
Southwestern Mindanao covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
Before today’s launching in time for the opening of the regional celebration of the National Science and Technology Week, Laidan said they have distributed 8,000 OL mosquito traps in the cities of Koronadal and General Santos and in the towns of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato and in Alabel in Sarangani.
This year’s NSTW carries the theme “Nasa Syensya ang Pag-asa.”
Laidan said that more OL trap systems will be distributed or as the need arises.
To also effectively lick the disease, Laidan stressed the need to always maintain a clean surrounding.
Dr. Nuna Almanzor, DOST’s Industrial Technology and Development Institute (ITDI) director, said the OL trap system is a simple and cheap device that attracts dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
The “DOST-ITDI” developed technology for OL trap system consists of a black tin can (plastic can as substitute), a lawanit paddle (1” x 6.5”) and the organic solution that lures Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to lay eggs in the paddle and eventually kills the eggs and larvae in the process. This simple kit costs about P20 aside from the P 1.00 for every pack of pellet.
Aedes mosquitoes attack only during daytime.
Almanzor said the national DOST and DOH offices have forged a partnership for the initial distribution of 500,000 OL mosquito traps across the country.
“The DOH wanted as many OL traps to be distributed across the country,” she said.
She said the Department of Education had also approached the DOST to help them curb the incidence of dengue cases in schools. (Bong Sarmiento/MindaNews)
