Data from Gamping II Health Community Centre in Sleman recorded that since February 2019 there was an increase in dengue fever cases by 400 percent compared to those in 2018 in the same period. Until the end of June, 46 dengue fever cases were found in the district with the highest case being in Sawahan Hamlet.
Therefore, medical profession students of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) who were members of the Center for Indonesian Medical Students’ Activities (CIMSA) conducted the FINGER “Fighting Dengue Fever” project to increase awareness and knowledge of the local people on the disease, including the prevention, symptoms, and treatment.
“The project ran from August – October 2019 targetting 150 households in Sawahan,” said Sekar Putri Andriani, Interim Vice Local Coordinator for External Affairs of CIMSA.
She said dengue fever was the most dangerous disease caused by mosquitos with the highest spread level according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease might take lives if not treated properly.
CIMSA collaborating with Gamping II health community center, Kitabisa.com, LivOpen, and Koalisi Pemuda Hijau (KOPHI) Yogyakarta conducted the project under the supervision of World Mosquito Program (WMP) Yogyakarta.
On Sunday, 25 August 2019, counseling to adults was given by dr. Riris Andono Ahmad, MPH, Ph.D., researcher from WMP, and Muhammad Daroji, chief of the health center. For younger people, trainers from CIMSA gave briefing, followed with an interactive game on dengue fever.
On Saturday, 7 September 2019 about 70 medical students provided a door-to-door counseling using educational posters about dengue fever issues. They also distributed mosquito nets to the local residents.
The project closed with a series of events on 27 October 2019, which consisted of neighborhood cleaning, ecobrick and verticulture training, and a discussion with women and health center on dengue fever problems and the solutions to it.
Source: https://www.ugm.ac.id/id/berita/18656-mahasiswa-ugm-berikan-penyuluhan-tentang-dbd
