Ba Town’s Battle Against Dengue: Can Community Efforts Reverse the Tide?

Unattended vacant lots are posing a significant challenge for the Ba Town Council’s efforts to combat the ongoing dengue fever outbreak in the Western Division. Since the outbreak was declared on February 3, there has been a noticeable increase in cases nationwide, with Ba reporting the highest number—2,841 cases as of March 23. A tragic incident underscored the epidemic’s severity when a Ba secondary school student died from a dengue-related illness on March 30, prompting health officials to step up preventive measures.

Manjula Devi, the acting CEO of Ba Town Council, revealed that the council has begun taking actions against property owners neglecting their vacant lots by imposing charges for cleanup. “Although it takes time for owners to clear their lots, we are now working to clean them ourselves and charge the owners for the cleanup,” she stated. To enhance efforts in controlling mosquito populations, the council has ramped up its spraying program, conducting operations every seven days as opposed to the usual schedule of post-rainy season spraying.

Last Friday, the council executed a mosquito spraying campaign in the Namosau, Varadoli, and Yalalevu wards. Concurrently, the Ministry of Health focuses on rural areas, revealing a collective effort to mitigate the outbreak. As such, activities are being organized in collaboration with health authorities to ensure the public is aware of hygiene practices essential for disease prevention.

This proactive response in Ba mirrors initiatives from nearby municipalities like Lautoka, where community involvement plays a vital role in preventing dengue fever through clean-up campaigns and awareness programs. There is a collective realization across regions that through cooperation and timely education, communities can effectively combat the impacts of dengue fever and cultivate a healthier environment.

The commitment by local councils and health officials to reinforce public health measures presents a hopeful outlook, demonstrating that with concerted efforts, the threat posed by such diseases can be managed more effectively. Community engagement is pivotal in this ongoing battle, as awareness and action are essential for ensuring public safety and health resilience.