GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/28 May) – Local health offices here and in nearby South Cotabato province will dispatch health teams next week to various schools in the area to promote proper health practices and prevention measures against the deadly dengue fever among pupils, students and school personnel.
Dr. Edgardo Sandig, City Integrated Health Services Office (CIHSO) chief, said their sanitary and medical personnel will visit local schools starting on the opening of classes on Monday to conduct a series of health information and education sessions.
“These sessions are aimed at promoting advocacy on basic proper health practices like the simple washing of hands on a regular basis and maintenance of cleanliness in school surroundings,” he said.
Sandig said they deem it important to educate the pupils and students this early regarding such practices to help prevent the emergence of diseases that may cause outbreaks among them.
He said they are specifically promoting the conduct of regular cleanup in local schools as a preventive measure against dengue.
The campaign, he said, is centered on the Department of Health’s (DOH) 4S strategy against dengue that stands for: search and destroy, self-protection measures, seek early consultation, and say no to indiscriminate fogging.
“The best way to combat dengue is still th
ough proper sanitation and cleanliness of our surroundings,” he said.
The DOH 12’s regional epidemiology and surveillance unit reported that the number of confirmed dengue cases in the city has reached 117 as of last May 19.
