Due to the high number of reports on people who suffer from dengue fever in 21 Regencies/Cities in East Java, Soffell was compelled to hold a media gathering, discussing about “The Most Effective Preventive Steps Against Dengue Fever”, on Wednesday, 25 February 2015 and hosted by DR. dr. Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, M.Sc. (a Lecturer and Researcher at the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia) and Prof. DR. Usman Hadi, Dr.,Sp.PD, K-PTI (a Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, UNAIR, an Internist Speciallist at RSUD Dr. Soetomo, and a Consultant for Tropical Deseases and Infections).
It is documented that since January the 1st 2015, the number of Dengue Fever patients at hospitals in East Jawa increased significantly. This motivated the Health Service of East Java to raise a status of emergency in 11 regents that went up to 21 regents in East Java Province. Until January the 30th, the Health Service of East Java Province has recorded 2.734 cases of people suffering from dengue fever and 50 among them have died from it. That number shows a significant increase of cases associated with dengue fever compared to the same case in January 2014, which was 980 cases.
Prof. Usman Hadi explained that Dengue Fever outbreak reaches its peak during the wet season. Besides re-promoting the 3 M program (to close, to drain, and to bury), each of us has to be always aware to protect ourselves from the threats of having a dengue fever. Therefore, it needs an extra protection such as using anti insect/mosquito lotion during the day whether when you are at school, at work, or even when you’re just staying at home. Dr. Tri Yunis Miko also has the same opinion about the lotion and confirmed that it is a very usefull and more effective way of preventing ourselves from mosquito bites than fogging or larvasida. “Based on a study, anti mosquito lotion is a popular way to prevent one from mosquito bites and the deseases caused by it including dengue fever and it’s affordable too. It’s also easy to find , easy to use, practical, effective, and safe for the skin as well.”
The media gathering was attended by 19 local media press from East Java and it was Soffell’s iniative and care for the people who concern for the emergency status of Dengue Fever at that time. Other than this kind of activity, Soffell also did radio talkshows in several cities like Surabaya, Kediri, Jember, Malang, and Madiun, and done some samplings at hospitals in East Java as well as a part of its campaign to prevent Dengue Fever.
