Denpasar – The efforts of the Denpasar City Government (Pemkot) to use the wolbachia method to eradicate dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) have drawn criticism. Senior researcher, Prof. Richard Claproth, recommends keeping sewers or waterways clean rather than using wolbachia.
“It’s better if we spend a lot less money to build people’s mentality to clean up. Community service and mutual cooperation no longer exist. So, don’t let our fate depend on unclear experiments,” said one of the ministerial advisors at the Ministry of National Development Planning. /Bappenas in Denpasar, Bali, Saturday (7/10/2023).
Apart from maintaining cleanliness, Richard also recommends using chlorine dioxide as a solution to treat the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Richard emphasized that the wolbachia bacteria that infect mosquitoes are the result of genetic engineering. However, wolbachia bacteria can also grow on most insects.
Richard also said it was impossible to release mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia on a large scale without having side effects.
“The threat of a massive release of mosquitoes will discourage visitors from coming and could lead to economic collapse,” he said.
According to him, the spread of wolbachia will destroy one species and potentially give rise to a new species. The spread of thousands of Wolbachia mosquitoes also causes more mosquitoes to fly.
“Just like in Pak Harto’s time. The rats were brushed and in the end there was an even bigger outbreak of leafhoppers because there were no rats for balance. So, be careful playing with that,” said the President of the World Coalition for Health and Humanity/Coaliciòn Mundial Salud Vida (Comusav) for the Asia and Africa Region.
According to Richard, people should be able to choose between agreeing or not if their house is designated as a location for laying mosquito egg containers (WTN) or Mosquito Release Containers (MRC).
Meanwhile, the Head of Disease Prevention and Control at the Denpasar City Health Service, Anak Agung Ngurah Gede Dharmayuda, who was confirmed separately, explained that in November 2023, the Denpasar City Government will distribute mosquito eggs in 24 villages/sub-districts.
According to him, there will be 16,042 WTN distributed. “One container contains one capsule containing 500 mosquito eggs,” said Dharmayuda.
He said the Wolbachia method had proven effective in reducing dengue cases. In Yogyakarta, for example, 77 percent of cases could be reduced. Then, the percentage of hospitalizations fell to 86 percent.
“If it fails, the most effective and efficient effort is to optimize community participation to implement PSN (eradicating mosquito nests) because this can break the chain of transmission of cases by the Aedes aegypti mosquito,” said Dharmayuda.
Watch the video “Get to know the Wolbachia method, eradicate dengue fever using natural bacteria”
(hsa/gsp)
2023-10-08 01:30:06
#spread #Wolbachia #mosquitoes #overcome #dengue #fever #Denpasar #draws #criticism
