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5 July 2002 By Karla Morizzo in San Salvador, El Salvador Every year dengue fever affects hundreds of people in El Salvador during the rainy season that lasts from May to October. This year, the number of dengue cases have more than doubled those of 2001, setting off a state of emergency in four of the country's departments. The last dengue epidemic occurred in the year 2000. At that time, there were 438 confirmed cases. So far this year, there have been 1,386 confirmed cases and the population of El Salvador fears the worst is yet to come, especially since four months still remain in the rainy season. Since the beginning of the year, eight children, aged between five and nine years, have died of dengue fever. There are two known strains of dengue fever – classic dengue which causes high fever and pain requiring at least two weeks bed rest, and dengue hemorragic fever which can lead to death. Children are at greatest risk of death from the illness. Year after year, the ministry of health attempts to reduce the spread of the disease by educating the population about prevention measures, but even though many families do their part in impregnating their households, the disease seems unstoppable this year. "If only one house in a community does not follow the prevention measures, the disease can spread to the whole community," says Ramon Perez, a Salvadoran Red Cross youth volunteer working on the plan of action against dengue during a visit to his old school in San Salvador, the capital. "It takes only a few mosquitoes from one house to contaminate all the neighbouring houses. That's why we are attacking this threat at community level." As dengue is spread by biting mosquitos, one of the most popular prevention strategies includes the elimination of mosquito larvae thus reducing the total number of mosquitos. Ministry of health efforts in this matter include the distribution and education about the use of chlorine, used to clean water reservoirs, preventing larvae formation on the reservoir walls. The Salvadoran Red Cross Action Plan Against Dengue aims to reduce the spread of the disease by providing community education about prevention and infection and monitoring community implementation of preventive measures. This Red Cross project is being carried out by the youth division who are visiting 50 schools in San Salvador, targeting 10 children in each school who are members of the school hygiene committees. These students in turn will take the messages and methods home to their families. "The main reason why I am worried that dengue will spread further in my village is that each person takes care of their own home, disregarding the surroundings," says Elder Xavier Rivas, 16 years old. In addition to the 500 students, the Red Cross volunteers will also target 200 teachers and 1,200 parents in three other municipalities. This initial pilot project will take 10 weeks to execute and will be followed by similar projects in other departments. "We try to keep the school and our houses clean, but you know how it is in the surrounding places, the communities around us, we cannot control what they do," says Getty Arely, director of the Augustin Linares School. "All we can do is talk to them and request that they support us in prevention activities." Even though the Red Cross youth department is at the helm of this project, other volunteers involved in the operation include the Red Cross women volunteer and relief volunteers. This project is only the first phase of a long term strategy to reduce and treat dengue fever. Once the project is implemented in various departments, other activities will begin, such as blood support to health authorities by providing quality blood to hospitals and clinics to treat dengue hemorragic fever. "Our children already know the basics about dengue transmission and in each house they make sure they follow their duties in order to prevent the disease from spreading," says Milagro de la Paz Torres, 3rd grade teacher at Agustin Linares School. "But we need to strengthen these methods. Because of this year's dengue situation we cannot sit and wait around too long, therefore Red Cross is coming to assist us at exactly the right time." Related Links: More on: El Salvador |
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