Taking efforts for granted

Regarding the article "Spike in dengue cases; one dead" by Loh Chee Kong published on 25th May, I think that we must all put in efforts to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. According to the article, there is a sharp increase in dengue cases. This is rather shocking considering the fact that the government has put in extra efforts in an attempt to solve this problem. It seems like these efforts are backfiring.

Even though there are many agencies out there spreading the message to stop mosquitoes from breeding, people tend to take things for granted. There will definitely be people out there who think that they do not need to do anything since these agencies are already doing the job. Well this is not true. We cannot be too dependent on these agencies as the dengue problem can only be solved if we work together with these agencies. No matter what the agencies do, it is not enough. This is because if people are not willing to cooperate with these agencies, the problem will never be solved as there are too many potential mosquito breeding places.

Therefore, I think that the government should not just plainly concentrate on spreading the message that we should stop mosquitoes from breeding, but instead, aim to gain the support of the people first. For example, the government can reward people who do not have reported cases of dengue fever. This might be costly, but people who take the effort to stop mosquitoes from breeding will feel that the government recognises their efforts and thus, keep up with what they are doing. At the same time, they will also encourage their friends and relatives to stop mosquitoes from breeding. This method does not only appeal to the people to keep up with their efforts in stopping mosquitoes from breeding, but also helps spread the message quicker and more efficiently.

But that's not all. One of the agencies, the National Environment Agency (NEA), has put in a lot of efforts in spreading the message that we should stop mosquitoes from breeding. However, there is one problem, agencies like the NEA are just not influential enough. This is due to the fact that they are simply 'outnumbered'. I think that agencies like the NEA spread the message effectively, but only to certain people as the NEA does not have the manpower. The grassroot leaders should play a part too. They should make use of their manpower and influence to help spread the message.

Finally, it is important that we give our support to the government and the environmental agencies as the problem can only be solved if we are willing to cooperate.

Spike in dengue cases; one dead

This article first appeared in TODAY on 25th May 2007
By Loh Chee Kong
cheekong@mediacorp.com.sg

SEVEN government agencies were present at a press conference yesterday to update the public on efforts to control the dengue problem, which has claimed its first life this year.
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The media briefing on the subject at the National Environment Agency (NEA) building reflected not just a worsening dengue situation but also official concern that the public has yet to take the anti-dengue message seriously.
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One key concern is that the number of breeding grounds found in homes has shot up. This even as government agencies and town councils go all out in their "search-and-destroy" missions to stamp out breeding sites in public places.
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According to the NEA, from April to mid-May, larvae were found in 776 homes. Among the identified dengue clusters, residential properties accounted for 84.9 per cent of breeding sites.
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"With the agencies doing so much, the mosquitoes, driven by their survival instincts, are not going to say, 'That's it. We are leaving Singapore.' What does it mean? These efforts may in fact drive the mosquitoes to look to households to lay their eggs," said Dr Steven Ooi, deputy director of the Ministry of Health's (MOH) Communicable Diseases Division.
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He also revealed that an 85-year-old man had died from dengue on April 28.
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The man had suffered from chronic diseases, including diabetes, but preliminary tests show that the Dengue Shock Syndrome was the cause of death.
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His death came amid a spike in dengue cases over the past two months – that were characterised by intermittent rain and warm weather.
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This month, an average of 167 cases have been reported each week, about three times the number in the same period last year, and also higher than during the 2005 dengue epidemic.
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Based on past trends, dengue cases tend to peak every six years, said MOH. It added that "2006 was clearly seen as an inter-epidemic year" and this year marks the start of a new cycle.
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While it was "improbable" that the number of cases would hit 2005's record levels, "if the trend is left unchecked, disease momentum will cause a worsening situation for 2008 and subsequent years," said MOH.
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Since last December, there had been a shift in the predominant dengue strain from DEN-1 to DEN-2, which was last dominant in 2003. This could account for the recent spike in cases, as the immunity among Singaporeans over the last four years against the DEN-1 virus "offers little or no protection" to the DEN-2 virus, MOH added.
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NEA's chief executive officer Lee Yuen Hee, who also chairs an inter-agency task force, said recent surveys showed that the public seemed to be aware of the problem and how to curb it. "But in translating that into action, the public can do more," he said.