Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DBD) remains a deadly threat in society. Given the high number of dengue cases in Indonesia, the prevention campaign with 3M Plus continues to be encouraged.
Indonesia notes relatively high dengue case every year, where the Health Ministry’s data as of October 2023 shows around 68,181 dengue case at 487 fatalities. What is more surprising, around 40 percent of dengue fatalities occur in children of 5-14 years old.
Based on these facts, dengue prevention measures should also be introduced to children, as a change would come from good habits that are fostered from an early age. These measures include good habits of applying the 3M Plus campaign; draining water reservoirs, covering water containers, recycling used goods that can hold water, as well as applying extra protection such as having dengue vaccines, increasing body endurance, and of course using mosquito repellent.
Astin Julaikha, Sub Coordinator of Curriculum and Assessment Section for Elementary Schools and PKLK, DKI Jakarta Provincial Education Office, said education on preventing dengue fever for elementary school students is one of the efforts to eradicate dengue fever, which also includes the government's program in promoting 3M Plus.
"This interactive education is expected to increase children's knowledge about the danger of dengue fever and how to prevent it," Astin Julaikha said at the 2023 Godrej Global Volunteering Week (GGVW) activity themed 'Education on Preventing Dengue Fever for Elementary School Students'.
GGVW is an activity initiated by PT Godrej Consumer Products Indonesia (GCPI) in collaboration with DKI Jakarta Education Office and the Epidemiology Student Association at Public Health Faculty (FKM) University of Indonesia. The GGVW activity themed 'Dengue Fever Prevention Education for Elementary School Students' was successfully held from November 22 to December 8, 2023, involving 1,500 students out of 20 Elementary Schools in 5 administrative DKI Jakarta regions.
Uniquely, the dengue prevention education introduces a Super HITO character who eradicates the naughty mosquito Aedes Aegypti. Super HITO also plays animated shows about mosquito’s life cycle, the danger of dengue fever, and how to prevent it.
"Dengue fever prevention is a shared task that requires collaboration of various parties. We hope the number of dengue cases, especially in children, can decrease. We will also continue to support the 3M Plus program to have Indonesia free from dengue fever," GCPI Head of
Corporate Communication, Culture & Engagement, Wahyu Radita said. (Nurul Adriyana Salbiah).