The Office of the Deputy Speaker, MARIA ISABELLE CLIMACO, in close coordination with Department of Science and Technology IX (DOST-IX), distributed a total of 12,000 Ovicidal/Larvicidal (OL) trap kits to 11 barangays in Zamboanga City. Officials of Barangay San Roque, Sta. Maria, Tumaga, Maasin, Recodo, Calarian, Pasonanca, Malagutay, Sinunuc, Tugbungan and Campo Islam attended the orientation/training conducted by the DOST-IX at the Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School (DPLMHS) last August 17. This activity is in support of the project “DOST OL-Trap System Nationwide Roll-out” spearheaded by DOST.
Over 6,000 households in the 11 barangays will benefit from this project. Each of the household received two (2) OL trap kits and a supply of the organic pellets for six (6) months. Barangay coordinators or sanitary inspectors were assigned to monitor and record OL Traps that show positive for the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The data will be used to compute the OL trap index of each barangay, which may serve as an early warning signal to pre-empt any impending dengue outbreaks.
During the orientation, Congresswoman Beng Climaco encouraged her constituents to support the project as this may help in mitigating the incidents of dengue in Zamboanga City. She also emphasized the need to keep the surroundings clean as this is still the best way to prevent the spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, over 240 public elementary and high schools in Zamboanga Peninsula have installed two (2) OL trap kits in each classroom. The deployment, surveillance and monitoring started last June 4, 2012 and is expected to end in December 2012.
The OL Trap is a simple device developed by the DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI). It attracts the dengue-carrying female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and kills the eggs trapped in the kit. The developed mosquito trap offers a simple, cheap, and efficient tool for surveillance and control of these mosquitoes. (DOST-IX Press Release)
