Denpasar –
Denpasar City Health Office (Dinkes) will apply wolbachia technology in 2023 to reduce cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). This technique has previously been tested in Klaten, Central Java, and succeeded in reducing cases by up to 77 percent.
“We hope that with Wolbachia cases in Denpasar will also decrease,” said the Head of Disease Prevention and Control of the Denpasar City Health Service, Anak Agung Ngurah Gede Dharmayuda, Tuesday (24/1/2023).
To note, wolbachia is the result of a collaboration of the World Mosquito Program (WMP). The function of wolbachia is to reduce the spread of viruses caused by Aedes Aegypti. Dengue mosquitoes that carry the Wolbachia bacteria, if they bite or absorb the blood of someone with dengue fever, will no longer transmit the virus.
“So, today we will start a mosquito catching program in Denpasar and we will breed them. Then in November we will start spreading mosquitoes in Denpasar,” he said.
Data from the Denpasar City Health Office said that in 2021 there were 587 cases of dengue fever. The number rose a year later to 1,096 cases. While the number of deaths from dengue in 2021 is 1 death, while in 2022 it will increase to 8 deaths.
Dharmayuda explained that in 2023 there is no target to reduce dengue cases. “Because indeed, cyclically, DHF cases will increase at the end and towards the beginning of the year. Every January, cases increase due to the rainy season, and when the weather is hot, mosquito larvae will grow and reproduce in 4-5 days in stagnant water. ” he explained.
Dengue Prevention Obstacles
Dharmayuda revealed that the prevention of dengue cases is still hindered by a lack of community participation. “So far, the community has not participated in homework and the rain conditions are erratic. So, if you don’t check your house regularly, you will definitely continue to be a mosquito breeder in every house,” he said.
He also asked the public not only to blame the government when DHF cases occurred. Dharmayuda claims that so far the jumantik team has continued to check mosquito larvae regularly at homes, although they have not been able to reduce the number of cases 100 percent.
“As soon as mosquito larvae are found in the house and cases of dengue fever, please don’t blame the government for not moving and the jumantik team not coming,” he hoped.
According to him, the obstacle to preventing dengue cases was also the difficulty for the Jumantik team to carry out inspections when the residents’ bathrooms were on the second floor. Not to mention if residents have lots of bird cages, but they are not cleaned optimally.
“Jumantik officers don’t have to drain the bath and clean the aviary. However, if there is a stagnant place and the pool is not filled with water, it must be given larvicidation. So, there must be early empowerment which is the point of handling dengue fever,” he said.
Fogging Focus
In preventing cases, the Denpasar Health Office also continues to intensify fogging focus. “Fogging the focus is blocking if there is an index case of mosquito larvae found in an area. Later the area will be blocked with a radius of 100 meters,” said Dharmayuda.
On the other hand, he also encouraged the community to carry out the Simultaneous Movement for the Eradication of Mosquito Nests. So that in the future there will be no more mosquito nests and the number of dengue cases can be controlled.
Watch Video “Atta Halilintar was rushed to the Gegara Dengue Hospital“
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(irb/gsp)
