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| Nguyễn Tấn Bỉnh, head of HCM City Department of Health, on Saturday launched a campaign calling on the community to take part in the prevention of dengue fever and Zika as a part of ASEAN Dengue Day. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Vy |
Viet Nam News
HCM CITY — HCM City Department of Health on Saturday launched a campaign calling on the community to take part in the prevention of dengue fever and Zika as part of ASEAN Dengue Day.
At the launching, the department’s head, Nguyễn Tấn Bỉnh, said that the campaign aims to improving awareness of the community in the prevention of the diseases in the city.
As of now, many people still fail to destroy mosquitos and their larva at their work and homes, Bỉnh said.
“Unless larva and mosquitos are absolutely destroyed, it can lead to an outbreak of the epidemic,” he added.
He told people’s committees in the city’s districts to increase fines on violators.
Since this beginning of this year, the city has recorded 20 incidences of Zika and more than 6,000 incidences of dengue fever, a decrease of 4 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Heavy rains have occurred since the beginning of this year, Bỉnh said, adding that they could help cause the increase of dengue fever incidences this year if “we do not carry out effective preventive methods right away.”
After the launching, health officials of the department and the District 8 Preventive Health Centre came to the houses of residents in the district to educate and encourage them to destroy mosquitoes and larva.
ASEAN Dengue Day is an advocacy event agreed upon during the 10th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting in 2010.
In Việt Nam, health departments in the country organise several programmes to mark the day each year.
Since 2005, dengue fever has become one of the most important public health problems and has received international attention, according to World Health Organisation. — VNS
