DKI Kadinkes Suggests Residents To Maintain Betta Fish To Prevent Dengue Fever

JAKARTA - Head of DKI Health Office Widyastuti advised residents to raise betta fish to prevent dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in their home environment.

Widyastuti admitted, actually the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government already has a number of cadres of dengue mosquito larva monitors (jumantik) in each RT.

However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, jumantik cadres did not really monitor the development of mosquito larvae in residential areas to avoid transmission of the corona virus.

"Regarding dengue fever, we currently do not go around Jumantik cadres because they avoid physical contact," said Widyastuti when met at the City Hall of DKI, Central Jakarta, Thursday, January 28.

Therefore, Widyastuti requested that each house have one jumantik cadre from family members. Widyastuti hopes that young people will become jumantik cadres.

To make it an interesting thing to do, Widyastuti appealed to the prevention of dengue fever mosquito larvae to be combined with a popular hobby, such as raising betta fish.

"Well, now it's the season for betta fish. Betta fish are greedy for mosquito larvae. So, young people, let's take care of the betta fish. Make it something positive because it can help no mosquito larvae," said WIdyastuti.

For information, the challenge for handling health other than COVID-19 that often appears in the rainy season is dengue fever. Many buildings and schools are not occupied due to restrictions on community activities. This results in the building conditions being damp and inviting mosquitoes to nest.

There is also dengue prevention that must be done, the community must independently check mosquito larvae and carry out 3M plus treatment without any officers visiting their respective homes. You do this, closing the water storage area, draining the tub, and recycling used goods.