MALACCA — The various initiatives taken by the government in combating the deadly dengue appeared to be ineffective due to public apathy, said Health Minister

He said dengue cases and deaths caused by the disease had in fact more than doubled between January and June 7, this year with 38,411 cases and 75 deaths recorded compared to 10,910 cases and 22 deaths in the same period last year.

“The initiatives taken by the government will be meaningless if the people’s mentality towards the disease has not changed, but it must change so that the disease will not be ‘inherited’ by our future generations.

“The government has done everything it could to rid the dengue menace but the public thinking that ‘dengue occurs in my area because the government does not fog the area’ must be erased, as fogging is not the sole solution.

“Instead, public realisation by taking only 10 minutes each day to check for dengue-causing aedes bringing grounds around their homes and destroying them, is much more effective than fogging,” he said at a news conference, here, today.

Earlier, Dr Subramaniam officiated at the national-level Asean Dengue Day 2014 commemoration at the Maritime Museum Square, aimed at creating greater public awareness on the dengue menace.

Asked whether the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases Act 1988, which carries a compound fine of RM500 or a jail term for offenders should be amended to provide for heavier penalties to curb dengue, he said law enforcement and penalties were not the main solutions to the problem.

“I stress that public awareness on fighting the dengue menace and making it part of their daily activities is the main solution,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam also urged researchers from inside and outside the country to do more research on the disease which mainly occurred in the tropics and in densely populated areas.

He said change of weather from dry to wet and vice versa could boost breeding of aedes mosquitoes, hence the public should clear their surroundings of pools or containers with stagnant water to prevent breeding of the mosquito and being a threat to their health and life.

Source: Malay Mail Online