700 volunteers join national action against dengue | #AlliedAgainstDengueMY #BersamaMelawanDenggi

Bersama Melawan Denggi unites leaders and community volunteers in a Walk & Clean campaign on ASEAN Dengue Day

It was not sun, sea and sand on the minds of leaders and more than 700 volunteers who gathered at the popular tourist destination of Desaru early morning today. But for Bersama Melawan Denggi (or better known as Allied Against Dengue or AAD) Coalition Partners, the Minister of Health, the many government and health officials from the Ministry of Health and Johor State as well as a contingent of volunteers of COMBI, iM4U and UCSI it was the threat of the mosquito-borne diseases effecting on the nation.

A large population, armed with mosquito patches, gloves and dengue-fever education kits took to the side-roads and seashore to spot, tag breeding holes and clean as they shared information and educational booklets with residents in five dengue cluster locations around the district.

A Coalition Partner of Bersama Melawan Denggi, GSK Consumer Healthcare (GSK) who initiated the movement emphasised the mosquito-borne disease like dengue is not a problem that any one task force is going to solve for everyone. “The prevalence of dengue in Malaysia needs to be dealt with by each and every person in the country. It is a shared responsibility among healthcare providers, civil society, institutions, corporations, government and the community. Through collaborative efforts we can create better impact and garner quicker results,” said Debjit Rudra, General Manager of Southeast Asia of GSK Consumer Healthcare.

“The AAD Walk and Clean campaign is a series of activities we have initiated as part of our approach to empower and educate the society on dengue fever prevention and management. The show of so many volunteers at this activity truly demonstrate that the Coalition Partners employees, members, and partnerships with volunteer of COMBI and iM4U are truly united and dedicated to the cause of reducing the burden of dengue on the nation.”

The group of volunteers consisted of AAD coalition partners, Dengue Warriors, volunteers of COMBI, iM4U youths, high school and undergraduate students as well as the local communities, participated in this Walk and Clean initiative.

Each group of volunteers were armed with mosquito repellent hand-band and sprays, hand gloves, disposable rubbish bags and briefed on the steps and techniques of emptying stagnant water as well as eliminating larvae spotted in these vicinities. Areas in need of extensive cleaning were marked with AAD red-flags for the authorities from the Johor State Health Department to undertake on-spot larvicide extermination and schedule for regular fogging activity in coming months at the affected areas to interrupt the development of larvae or pupa into adult mosquitoes.

At their walk they discovered majority of the mosquito-breeding habitats were found at home estate areas and construction sites – be it in containers with stagnant water, flower pot plates/trays and even drains left untreated for days – inside and outside of the establishment compounds.

AAD dengue starter-kits which includes temperature test paper, dengue management booklet, and dengue mosquito patches were distributed to the local communities; a number of residents have also signed up as Dengue Warriors and pledged to pass on the dengue prevention and management knowledge to others.

While the MOH and AAD hosted the ASEAN Dengue Day activity in Desaru, Dengue Warriors across the country observed this significant day simultaneously at different states driving public awareness on dengue alongside friends and families to educate communities on the dengue fever prevention and management. As they went about this good cause, they posted their views and pictures on their personal sites and Bersama Melawan Denggi facebook which have reached 3.5 million in just five months.

The Bersama Melawan Denggi began in April 2016. It was created as a non-profit, open movement to unite like-minded leaders such as doctors, pharmacists, associations, health authorities to NGOs, public institutions and private organisations and their efforts in one mission – to reduce the burden of dengue on society. Its partners include the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS), Guardian Health & Beauty Malaysia, and UCSI University Malaysia. Each of these alliance partners leverage their core competencies and dedicate energy, funds and resources to support the Ministry of Health and align with WHO to reduce the incidence of death to zero by 2018.

Its approach is based on three pillars that include a 3-year roadmap:

• Engagement of more and varied keen organisations in the movement, targeting 20 by 2018.
• Empowerment of 15,000 healthcare providers ranging from doctors to pharmacists and healthcare workers through face-to-face and online training as well as supply of toolkits to engage patients and consumers.

• Education of 5 million people through multiple channels including social media. Additionally 1 million dengue warriors across the country.

In just five months, AAD has engaged six organisations; recruited more than 10,000 dengue warriors in the communities especially in hot spot areas; trained 2000 healthcare providers in accordance with the World Health Organisation (“WHO”) guidelines; and held 38 educational roadshows to empower the community with knowledge and tools of dengue prevention and management. Over this period, the Coalition has educated more than 13 per-cent of the country’s population.

Members of the public can obtain further information about dengue prevention and management techniques from all participating clinics and pharmacies which are identifiable with AAD emblem. A to-go AAD Dengue Management Toolkit which consists of a thermometer, mosquito patches, plush toy and booklet on dengue is available in the retail partner shops across the nation. Join the movement through its facebook www.facebook.com/aadmalaysia/; and include #AlliedAgainstDengueMY and #BersamaMelawanDenggi in your social conversations.

Allied Against Dengue

Allied Against Dengue, founded in 2015, galvanises all forces and efforts to unite, take action and tackle the dengue issue. Designed as a non-profit, open movement of like-minded leaders with the aim to empower healthcare providers, organisations and communities; and reduce the impact of dengue on the nation. Every alliance partner will leverage their core competencies and dedicate energy, funds and resources in the movement to help bring down the incidence rate of and deaths caused by dengue fever. Members include GSK Consumer Healthcare, Ministry of Health, Malaysian Medical Association, Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society, Guardian Health & Beauty Malaysia, and UCSI University Malaysia.