"3M involves draining, scrubbing, covering water containers, and utilizing or recycling used goods. Whereas the Plus stands for preventing mosquito bites and reproduction," Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control at the ministry Imran Pambudi said here on Thursday.
He informed that dengue cases in Indonesia have increased by 20 to 30 percent. According to data collected by the ministry from the beginning until the 22nd week of this year, 35,684 dengue cases and 270 dengue deaths have been recorded in Indonesia, he added.
Some places like Bali and West Java have witnessed an increase in dengue cases, caused by, among other things, a change in season and increased population density in cities, Pambudi elaborated.
"Moreover, a while ago, people could (watch over) their own homes since they stayed at home all the time. Now, because they have begun to go to work, their attention to the environment has declined," he said.
Since dengue is commonly found in children, School Health Units can conduct health checkups for the civitas academica and assist the government in highlighting the importance of cleaning environments, he added.
For example, they can remind people about sorting waste where water can accumulate so that there would be no still water for Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes to reproduce in, Pambudi said.
They can also inform people about the importance of draining bathtubs, vases, dispensers, or other containers every so often to maintain water quality and promote the use of lotions if a school has a lot of greenery as well as dengue vaccinations to prevent disease spread, he elaborated.
They can also involve parents, guardians, and teachers in monitoring larvae once a week, while also implementing the 3M Plus initiative, he said.
He informed that such a method would be more effective and better than waiting for the government to conduct fogging. Fogging is not effective because the gas is disruptive, and the activity is conducted only after a dengue case is found, he explained.
Pambudi opined that preventive methods are better, which can be carried out by preventing mosquitoes from laying eggs and establishing a healthier environment for children.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma S, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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