PETALING JAYA, Nov 8 ― The nation today undertook a massive community self-help (gotong royong) clean-up spearheaded by the Health Ministry to get rid of the breeding grounds of the Aedes mosquito which has spread dengue that has claimed 282 lives so far this year.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam launched the clean-up in Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara here under the exercise that covered all the states and federal territories except Melaka and Johor. These two states will carry out the programme later.

The ministry's programme covered 15 dengue hotspots in the country, focusing on idle land or plots where rubbish pile-up had contributed to 18 per cent of the Aedes mosquito breeding grounds nationwide.

“For occupied land or plots, we have issued notice to the owners to clean up their areas. If they do not do anything, these areas will be cleaned up with the help of the local authorities,” Dr Subramaniam told reporters after launching the mega 'gotong royong'.

He said several government agencies also carried out the programme at their own facilities, such as the Malaysian Armed Forces at their camps, the police at their quarters and the People's Volunteer Corps at Rela training centres.

“The Department of National Unity and Integration coordinated the gotong royong activity at 222 children's nurseries and rukun tetangga sectors under its jurisdiction,” he said.

The gotong royong included clearing heaps of rubbish, inspecting building sites, removing abandoned vehicles, undertaking larviciding ― an ecologically safe preventive method used to interrupt the development of larvae or pupa into adult mosquitoes, fogging and giving health awareness tips for the community.

Dr Subramanian said the programme was launched in Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara because the hotspot had two deaths and 372 dengue cases this year up to October 31, which was higher by 128 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year.

For the whole country, the number of deaths this year as of Oct 31 was 282 with 102,217 cases, up from 162 deaths and 86,192 cases last year, he said.

In Putrajaya, Communications and Multimedia Ministry deputy secretary-general (operations) Datuk Che Azemi Haron launched the gotong royong programme at the al-Ikhwan Desa surau in Pinggiran Putra.

He said such exercises, besides cleaning up the surroundings and getting rid of the Aedes mosquito breeding grounds, brought the ministry staff and people closer together.

In Terengganu, 350 people, among them staff of the Terengganu Health Department, nursing college students, school children and residents of Kampung Masjid Haji Kadir near Pasir Panjang, Kuala Terengganu, took part in the gotong royong.

Terengganu deputy director of health (public health) Dr Mohd Jusoh said the exercise was also held at all the 46 health clinics in the state with the help of the people in the localities.

In Sarawak, deputy speaker of the state legislative assembly Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn officiated at the programme participated by about 500 people of Kampung Chupak, Kampung Sikuduk, Kampung Pelaman Payang and Kampung Riset as well as government employees in Serian.

Seven areas in Sarawak had recorded 1,676 cases of dengue so far this year, he said at the event which was also attended by state director of health Datuk Zulkifli Jantan.

In Negri Sembilan, state director of health Dr Abdul Rahim Abdullah said the exercise held at Taman Penaga 2 in Sikamat was aimed at reducing the number of dengue cases to a level that did not pose any threat to public health.   

He said there was a rise in the number of dengue haemorrhagic fever cases, with 17 cases and 12 deaths this year compared to seven cases and seven deaths last year.

However, the number of dengue cases had dropped from 3,264 last year to 1,989 this year, down by 39.1 per cent.

In Perak, 300 people participated in the clean-up at two places, Jalan Besar Ayer Tawar and Kampung Tersusun Batu 7, Lekir, in the Manjung district.

It was launched by Manjung district officer Mohamad Fariz Mohamad Hanip at the basketball court of Kampung Koh New Village.

In Ssbah, about 100 people took part in the programme in Kampung Tanjung Batu Darat Imam Jalilul in Tawau.

Tawau district officer Yusri Umasa said the gotong royong was held in the village because of dengue cases there recently.

“This year up to today, the Tawau health department has recorded 139 cases,” he told Bernama.

He said a similar exercise would be held in Merotai Besar located about 20 kilometres from Tawau.

In Pahang, state health, human resource and special functions committee chairman Datuk Norol Azali Sulaiman advised the people to practise good neighbourliness to facilitate the fight against the Aedes mosquito. ― Bernama