June is Dengue Awareness MonthDengue is a tropical disease caused by one of the species of mosquitoes, principally Aedes aegypti. The incidence of Dengue increases over the past years. It is believed that the incidence rises during rainy season, however, there are still cases of the disease during summer. The following are symptoms that appear after 4-6 days of infection, like: fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting, skin rash which appears 3-4 days after the onset of fever, and mild

bleeding. The latter is said to be fatal if not given appropriate action.

In SOCCSKSARGEN, 3,518 Dengue cases were reported from January 1 of this year to May 25, 2013. This is 150% higher compared to the same period last year. From these numbers of cases, 23 of them died: 9 from General Santos City, 7 from dengue 4 o'clock habit North Cotabato, 3 from South Cotabato, 2 from Sarangani and 2 from Sultan Kudarat. This is alarming since the government is trying their best with so many campaigns against Dengue for so many years, but unfortunately cases are still rising.

This June, we are observing Dengue Awareness Month with its theme “Stop, Look, Listen. Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue, Pagtibayin!”. Sugpuin ang Dengue, Mag 4 o’clock Habit. What is this 4 o’clock habit? At 4pm, we have to STOP, and then LOOK which means we have to “search and destroy” for the possible breeding places of mosquitoes outside and inside our homes, and lastly LISTEN to our barangay officials on the ways of how to eradicate mosquitoes in the community.

We, as part of DOH-CHD XII, have a great role in the campaign against Dengue. As the nation’s leader in health, it is our duty to be a good model or a good example in the community. The habit should start individually from us hence everybody around us will follow.

DOH MOUNTS 4 0’CLOCK HABIT AT ASEAN DENGUE DAY 2013 IN CEBU: KUNG WALANG LAMOK, WALANG DENGUE

The country fast gears efforts to bring down dengue cases in massive numbers even as the Visayas and Mindanao brace for a higher number of cases this year. This involves an all-year round campaign in many high-risk areas in the country. High-risk areas are predominantly in urban centers where there is poor environmental management of household waste.

Successful campaigns hinges on a serious community-based, local government unit (LGU)-initiated dengue control program starting in households and reaching out to schools and other mosquito-dense areas in the community. Dengue mosquitoes easily thrive in artificial containers that are found everywhere and sometimes where you least suspect them. Old tires, puddles and empty coconut shells are favorite breeding sites for these biting insects.

“The battle against dengue can be won right in our own backyards but this will not be easy for each one of us,” Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona said. He also announced that the Department of Health (DOH) has inked a pact with the Departments of Interior & Local Government (DILG), Science & Technology (DOST), and Education (DepEd) to collaborate on dengue control efforts nationwide. DILG will lead all LGUs to implement the AKSYON BARANGAY KONTRA DENGUE in high-risk communities; DOST and DepEd together with DOH will scale up the home-grown ovi-larva (OL)-trap technology in selected, priority schools. The new set of local chief executives can easily make dengue control one of their top priorities.

This year marks the third year since June 15 was declared ASEAN DENGUE DAY during the 10thASEAN Health Ministers Meeting held in Singapore on July 22, 2010. The said ASEAN Dengue Day is supported by a community of experts in order to demonstrate a shift from reactionary strategies to forward planning and long-term prevention strategies. The health chief will spearhead the country’s ASEAN DENGUE DAY observance in Cebu even as Vietnam hosts all countries in the region in this year’s region-wide campaign.

Re-launched in Batangas city early this year, the 4 o’clock habit against dengue brings out a simple, practical countermeasure to reduce mosquito density to a level that makes dengue transmission manageable. An integrated mosquito control requires relentless, concerted efforts of community leaders and citizens to unite and attack the problem at the source: eliminating mosquito-breeding sites. Small-scale environmental or household insect spraying and quality and timely clinical management of dengue patients are likewise effective but with uncertain results if not too late.

Ona gave pointers on how to undertake the 4 o’clock habit. It is the back-to basics STOP, LOOK & LISTEN approach. The preliminaries include mapping out high risk areas in a locality, organizing teams that will undertake critical response activities and establishing a system of communications for better coordination and

sustained cooperation.

STOP means ‘dropping’ everything and shifting current task for mosquito control. LOOK means that around 4 o’clock and until next hour, assigned teams carry out systematic “search and destroy” activities that will identify and eliminate mosquito-breeding sites. LISTEN entails heeding the instructions from local authorities, community leaders, or work supervisors for synchronous implementation of the 4 o’clock habit. This can be done on a daily basis, or at least on a weekly basis based on institutional capacity and prevailing resources.

Meanwhile, a total of 42,207 cases and 193 deaths were already reported by the National Epidemiology Center for the 23rd morbidity period (January 1-June8, 2013). Compared to the same period last year, there were 456 fewer cases (1% decline).Most dengue cases recorded in the country are from Central Visayas (6,023 or 51% increase), CALABARZON (4,742 or 17% decrease), Davao Region (4,364 or 30% increase), Western Visayas (4,444 or 102% increase), and SOCCKSARGEN (3,963 or 126% increase).

The National Capital Region registered 3,073 cases (6,208 fewer cases or 67% decrease). Quezon City (617 cases or 77% decrease), Manila (542 cases or 65% decrease), Kalookan (345 cases or 67% decrease), Paranaque (188 cases or 67% decrease) and Valenzuela (186 cases or 62% decrease).The health chief warns that areas with lower incidence should not remain complacent as the dengue season peaks between August and September.

“Dengue needs urgent action and we need it now. In the absence of the usual cures and vaccines, we have to rely on the basics of early prevention and community action,” Ona concluded.