Anti-dengue efforts include estate maintenance

We thank Mr Aaron Ang Chin Guan for his feedback and suggestions ("Anti-dengue efforts should include estate maintenance"; Tuesday).

We agree that proper housekeeping and maintenance of premises and housing estates are important to prevent mosquito breeding and to stem the transmission of dengue.

While the majority of breeding is found in homes - in common places such as domestic containers and flower pot plates/trays - it is also equally important to ensure that our common spaces are free from mosquito-breeding habitats.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) works closely with land agencies and other key stakeholders through the Inter-Agency Dengue Task Force, as well as with town councils, to check for and destroy potential mosquito-breeding habitats in our public areas and housing estates.

NEA also works closely with the Association of Property and Facility Managers to raise managing agents' awareness on the need to prevent and remove mosquito breeding in the day-to-day management of private residential estates.

NEA has also engaged the Singapore Institute of Architects to take into consideration maintainability in the design of new residential projects, to minimise the likelihood of mosquito breeding.

We seek the cooperation of all stakeholders, including residents, town councils, private property developers and managing agents, to join in the collective fight against dengue.

With everyone playing his part, we can better ensure that we can all live in a dengue-free environment.

Tony Teo

Director

Environmental Public Health Operations

National Environment Agency

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 27, 2016, with the headline Anti-dengue efforts include estate maintenance. Subscribe