Grassroots volunteers to teach residents how to prevent spread of dengue

Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu (front, right) shows Mr Er Kok Hu (front, left) a checklist which comes in the form of a door hanger that includes steps that residents can take to keep their homes and n
Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu (front, right) shows Mr Er Kok Hu (front, left) a checklist which comes in the form of a door hanger that includes steps that residents can take to keep their homes and neighbourhoods mosquito-free. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

SINGAPORE - More than 2,000 volunteers will be trained to go door-to-door to teach residents how to prevent the spread of dengue.

Singapore is in the midst of its peak dengue season, which coincides with the dry months between June and October. So far this year, there have been more than 11,600 infections.

Two deaths have also been reported, with the latest being a 85-year-old man who died last Monday.

Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu launched the nationwide dengue education and prevention drive on Saturday. She also taught dengue prevention measures to 300 volunteers from the People's Association's Community Emergency Response Team at the anti-dengue drive in Yishun.

The volunteers will help to "supplement" the National Environment Agency's (NEA) officers, who can focus their efforts in areas where there are bigger outbreaks, she said.

"As the number of active clusters grow, we have to focus on the real big ones so we need additional and ongoing help from the community."

The volunteers, accompanied by at least one NEA officer, will go door-to-door handing out checklists across 87 constituencies from now until October.

The checklist comes in the form of a door hanger. It includes steps that residents can take to keep their homes and neighbourhoods mosquito-free, such as turning over unused pails and removing stagnant water.

Ms Fu, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, later visited three homes to spread the message.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.