Materia Medica Malaysiana

Chua: 260 schools get notices during anti-dengue checks

TAIPING: About 4% or 260 schools are among 6,522 premises issued with notices during anti-dengue checks carried out throughout the country this year, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.

He said the notices, asking them to clean up their premises, were among the actions taken by the health authorities to prevent dengue fever.

“We are disappointed that schools are not taking the matter seriously as they should set good examples,” he said during a visit to the Taiping Hospital here on Friday.

Dr Chua said up to Sept 25, about two million premises were inspected by the health authorities where 6,522 notices were issued on premises, 10,472 premises were issued with compounds and 45 people taken to court.

“Two premises were closed down (for failing to take remedial action),” he said.

He said dengue fever should be seriously viewed by the people as it had become an endemic disease.

Annually, between 30 and 60 people died from dengue fever, he said.

He said Perak was among the “top” states afflicted by it, recording eight deaths from haemorrhagic dengue fever.

“Two of the eight deaths were recorded in Taiping this year,” he said.

From the checks, it was discovered that most of the breeding grounds were at abandoned projects, empty space, factories and schools.

“People tend to blame the Government for the spread of dengue but they must also play their roles by ensuring that their compounds, houses and their surroundings are free of breeding grounds for the aedes mosquitoes,” Dr Chua said.

Earlier, the minister was briefed on the various development projects taking shape at the Taiping Hospital.