The DP programme which was launched initially in 2011 as a pilot programme is part of Sanofi Pasteur’s ongoing commitment to take proactive measures to intensify awareness on dengue and involve public participation, especially from the younger generation. In line with the government’s aim to educate and create public awareness on various health matters, the DP programme is aimed at advocating prevention against this disease and spearheading dengue prevention activities in the respective school’s immediate communities. This year, the DP programme is set to expand its reach nationwide to all schools in Malaysia.
The launch ceremony was officiated by Yang Berhormat Tuan P. Kamalanathan A/L P. Panchanathan, the Deputy Minister of Education II from the Ministry of Education, who spoke on the urgency and timeliness of the DP programme, "The Dengue epidemic in Malaysia is a serious and pressing matter to the nation. Dengue is an infection that does not recognize national or provincial boundaries and is spreading with an amplified frequency of outbreaks. Everyone is aware that dengue is serious, but yet people continue to be apathetic about prevention methods. We need a multi-stakeholder approach to address the situation – effort comes not only from the government – but also from individuals and communities."
The objectives of DP Programme are to intensify awareness on dengue and improve public education. This programme aims to recruit students nationwide to form Dengue Patrols in their respective schools to initiate activities that encourage the prevention of dengue and protection against Aedes mosquitoes. The DP programme features a six-week long campaign with activities relating to dengue health awareness and dengue health education that will be supervised by the selected teacher advisor.
"The Dengue Patrol Programme initiated by Sanofi Pasteur is an excellent initiative that is aimed at cultivating strong civic consciousness amongst children. It will inculcate the values of caring and taking action while educating them about ways they can protect their community against this disease. We are very happy with the outcome of this campaign over the past years, it has yielded tremendous results towards addressing this health challenge – we are excited for this programme to go nationwide." added Yang Berhormat P. Kamalanathan.
Deaths from dengue fever have nearly tripled in Malaysia this year, compared to the same period in 2013. Recent data has shown the gravity of this disease escalating quickly, with this year being at its peak with over a whopping 302.2% of increase in the number of cases as compared to 20131. According to recent statistics, the dengue fever cases have currently reached up to 13,915 cases and 25 fatalities over the past eight weeks of 20141.
"We at Sanofi Pasteur strongly believe it is important for children to be aware of health issues affecting their community. We are happy to be able to contribute to this important initiative together with the support of the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health," said Baptiste de Clarens, Vaccine Head Malaysia / Singapore / Brunei, Sanofi Pasteur.
The DP Programme has proved to be an enriching experience for participating students and overwhelming requests have led to the expansion of this programme on a national scale. The DP Programme is part of a long-term initiative for schools in Malaysia and is set to continue for the years to come. With the continuous support from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, this meaningful initiative is set for 2014 and beyond to ensure widespread efforts in all parts of the country.
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