PUTRAJAYA: A total of 10 new localities have been proposed for the release of Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes to address the dengue issue in the country, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said this was proposed at Monday's (Jan 15) meeting of the Cabinet Committee to Combat Dengue, and its implementation would cost RM4mil annually.
Beginning in 2019, he said that the release of mosquitoes had been implemented in 32 localities, involving seven states, with 19 localities showing effectiveness.
"Assessment on effectiveness shows that dengue cases had decreased by 45% to 100%, compared with before the release (of the Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes),” he said in a statement, which was read out by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zulkefly Ahmad, after the committee meeting, here Monday.
Ahmad Zahid said that discussions about the localities for mosquito release are being detailed with certain parties, especially the state governments.
"We are in discussions with the state (governments) because we want to (implement) it, especially in Selangor. We will discuss it more precisely because in the end it will involve the community,” he said.
He said that the Cabinet Committee also proposed the involvement of local authorities.
In addition, he said that scheduled cooperative activities at the premises of ministries, departments and agencies are made a regular agenda item in the development action committee at the district and state levels.
Large-scale campaigns and gotong-royong, involving government agencies, non-governmental organisations, local leaders and the community, will be implemented this year.
He also said that the government will increase resource capacity through collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental organisations and government-linked companies, including the establishment of a task force to deal with the issue.
A Cabinet Memorandum on measures to combat dengue is to be tabled in two weeks, he added.
Regarding dengue cases in this country, Ahmad Zahid said that a total of 123,133 cases were reported last year, compared with 66,102 cases for the same period in 2022, an increase of 86.3%.
"The number of deaths due to complications from dengue fever was 100 cases last year, compared with 56 deaths for the same period in 2022,” he said. - Bernama
