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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