By Glenda Willie
SHEFA Provincial Health in partnership with the Vanuatu Red Cross Society (VRCS), through the SHEFA Red Cross have mobilised their volunteers to areas identified with Dengue reported cases, and conducting door to door awareness in households. These areas are being referred to as Dengue hot spots.
SHEFA Province Public Health Manager, Mr. Obed Manwo said since the dengue outbreak, the health authorities had consultation meetings and developed a response plan to address the prevention of dengue transmission and protection measures.
Commencing last Friday, 20 volunteers from Red Cross went from door to door of homes around the households accommodating the dengue patients. They covered households that are 200 metres to 300 metres from the dengue cases.
A total of 18 cases were tested positive with dengue by Vila Central Hospital (VCH) and they reside in Teouma, Erakor, Pango, Nambatu, Anamburu, Tebakor, Malapoa, Blandinere, Freshwota and Beverly Hills.
Manwo explained that the volunteers conducted awareness, which include educating and advising the residents of these identified areas on ways to destroy breeding sites for mosquitoes. Garbage bags were being distributed to the households they visited and mosquito nets were also given to households with reported cases.
People were informed on what they should do when someone in their household starts showing signs of dengue.
They hand out pamphlets which contains useful information about dengue and types of mosquitoes and the protection measures.
Pamphlets were also distributed at the Convention Centre to people who go to receive their jabs. This week also, nurses from Zone One within SHEFA province attended a refresher training on the dengue outbreak.
Mrs. Emma Mesau, the Senior Branch Officer of Shefa Red Cross confirmed the volunteers were able to complete the door to door awareness yesterday. The teams are yet to go to Beverly Hills and Teouma, as they are waiting on Shefa Health team to provide the specific locations for the reported cases.
Later on in the week, the Red Cross volunteers should go to the two areas, according to the Senior Branch Officer.
Schools, churches and communities around Efate are urged to clean their yards as efforts to address the dengue outbreak.
The Shefa Health Manager acknowledged VRCS for their continuous assistance to SHEFA Health in delivering their services to the people.