ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanews/20 May) –City Hall has ordered the City Health Office to conduct a massive fumigation in all schools, both public and private, starting Monday to prevent dengue.
Mayor Celso Lobregat said schools belonging to barangays with the highest number of dengue cases will be priority in the fumigation.
Given priority are the public schools in barangays Tumaga, Tugbungan, Canelar, Tetuan, Guiwan, Putik, Sta. Maria, San Roque, Talon-Talon, Baliwasan, Sta. Catalina, Upper Calarian, Sta. Barbara, San Jose Gusu, Mampang, Lunzuran, and Pasonanca.
The Zamboanga East Central School and Zamboanga West Central School located downtown are also included in the priority listing.
The fumigation, which will done in at least two schools every day, should start between Monday, May 21 and June 3, when the schools are having their Brigada Eskwela, Lobregat said.
City Health Officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos said they have requested the school officials to clean the surroundings of school before fumigation to ensure that dengue-carrying mosquitoes are killed.
He said his office would provide the chemicals needed.
Fumigation will also be done in private schools but this will be done on a “first-request, first served” basis, Agbulos said.
The city government recently declared a dengue outbreak with cases reaching 732 between January 1 and April 30. Nine deaths have been recorded.
Meanwhile, Lobregat reminded school officials of their responsibility to ensure that their schools are always clean.
He said non-functional toilets should be made functional and broken window panes and doorknobs should be replaced.
“The condition of a toilet is a reflection of people using it,” he added. (MindaNews)