S$7.5M really down the drain just for mosquitos
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Time is GMT + 8 hours
The question now arises if the average Singaporean is concerned about these things or has enough time just to worry about bread and butter issues? Something as trivial as mosquitos are everywhere and dengue spreading mosquitos will always be there. U cant probably mess around with mother nature.
Posted: 24 August 2005 1857 hrs
NEA focuses on drain flushing to fight rising dengue cases
By Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : A total of 7,403 cases of dengue fever has been reported in the first eight months of this year.
This is nearly double the number of 3,782 cases for the same period last year.
Concerned about its resurgence, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has set aside an additional $7.5 million to flush the drains, a common breeding home for mosquitoes.
This is on top of the $2.5 million spent yearly for this purpose.
Common areas like pump rooms and water tanks are fast becoming hotspots for mosquito breeding - up from 21 percent last year to 36 percent this year.
Latest figures show the three largest dengue clusters in Singapore are Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 with 15 reported cases, Choa Chu Kang Central with 11 and Marsiling Drive with 10.
To further curb the rise, the NEA has extended its efforts by putting up a websiteto highlight the location of the clusters.
From August 25, the public can find out about possible dengue cases in certain areas. The information will be updated weekly.
NEA has also been recruiting more field inspectors this year - from 110 to 360. A further 150 will be recruited in the next two months.
By year end, there will be over 500 inspectors - four times more than the number last year.
Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Environment and Water Resources Minister, said: "We will work with the town councils to see whether they can hire dedicated pest control operators, which means there is an operator that they have hired that will do more flushing of the drains, fogging, clearing of the sites. Because you have to check constantly the pump rooms, the water tanks, because all these are common areas."
So far, Jurong, Hong Kah and Sembawang Town Councils have hired dedicated pest control operators targeting the breeding sites found in common areas.
Although more households may be aware of dengue, this has not been translated much to action.
The number of breeding sites at construction sites has fallen to 9 percent, but that in residential homes was down by only 5 percent to 55 percent.
So the government is calling on all Singaporeans, including community organisations and condominium operators, to play their part.
Dr Yaacob said: "On our part, NEA is prepared to work to spend money, to play our part but we cannot do it alone, we have to do it with our partners so Singaporeans, community organisations, town councils, condominium operators will have to play their part together with us."
The Health Ministry is also working with doctors who had dengue patients to help identify the infected places.
In July this year, the NEA announced it would spend $10 million on dengue prevention measures - putting up posters at bus-stops and MRT stations. - CNA/de
What if there is another outbreak , another 7.5 million to be spent?
If u know what steps are being taken in other countries to curb such epidemicsm, Singapore will probably become a laughing stock. In western countries they are cross breeding a new species of predatory mosquitos which can wipe out the degue causing varieties. And it doesnt even cost a million dollars in fund to do it. It is being done by students themselves.Their freedom is not stifled by the meritocracy system which is found here and thus encouraging new ideas and unfound talents which eventually make the world a better place for us to live in.
Why are the so called top elites in Singapore braindead? Is this why they are paid million dollar salaries? -
predatory mosquitoes??
now that sounds like a catastrophy... 
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spend so much on this thing!!!!! Should spent more on health care. Spend on the dengue thing is important but maybe can lower the cost.
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prevention is better than cureOriginally posted by gorby107: spend so much on this thing!!!!! Should spent more on health care. Spend on the dengue thing is important but maybe can lower the cost.
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yah, they've been telling us all along...Originally posted by sgboy2004:prevention is better than cure -
is anyone listening???Originally posted by finoq:yah, they've been telling us all along... -
But I think that they do not need to spend so much on that????Originally posted by sgboy2004:prevention is better than cure
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I do....Originally posted by sgboy2004:is anyone listening??? -
and they should, this is result of ignorance..
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It is always best to let nature fight its own problems. It was shown that mosquitos and other insects can grow immune to chemicals or mutate to survive.Originally posted by starblue:predatory mosquitoes?? now that sounds like a catastrophy... -
how much? can u itematically quantify it???Originally posted by gorby107:But I think that they do not need to spend so much on that???? -
It is either money spent here or on treating those kena
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They must well have a big major lesson or what on how to prevent dengue on mass media so most of the public will watch and know what precaution to take. Also can send out officers to explain to them and many more other ways.......Originally posted by sgboy2004:is anyone listening??? -
More dengue cases despite $10m spent on preventive measures
By Hasnita A. Majid, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : Some $10 million have been spent on dengue preventive measures for the first half of this year - a million more than for the same period last year.
The National Environment Agency said the additional funds were for dengue prevention outreach programmes such as putting up posters at bus-stops and MRT stations.
Yet the number of dengue cases has not been letting up, and neither is the fight against the Aedes mosquito.
Every month, 71-year-old Satwant Kaur vigilantly applies granular insecticide in her flat's bamboo pole holders - a potential mosquito breeding ground.
These granules, which last three to six months, can kill mosquito larvae.
She is one of 1,200 residents in Marine Crescent who have been given dengue prevention tools, which include bamboo pole caps.
It is part of an effort named "Anti-Dengue Fever Campaign" initiated by the Mayor Matthias Yao in February 2005 to wage an all-out war against dengue.
Dr Chua Ee Chek, Chairman of Marine Parade CCC, said: "I would say that our efforts had paid off. First, we have managed to convince the dengue prevention group volunteers that it is a worthwhile efforts to go around the neighbourhood to spread the message of dengue prevention.
"So, we have been quite successful. Our grassroots leaders have been quite convinced and they have in turn convinced the residents."
Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said Singapore needed more such active residents.
For even though $10 million has been spent on prevention measures, the number of dengue cases is still not letting up.
Dr Yaacob said: "Singaporeans cannot take this lightly because once the number of dengue cases go up, the possibility of dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) increases and that's the one that we worry about.
"So we have to remove dengue fever entirely so that we do not have DHF. So Singaporeans must understand that negligence on their part can add to public health problem which can be very, very disastrous for some Singaporeans.
"It has led to death in some Singaporeans, so we have to send a message that you have a role to play."
Home owners are still the biggest culprits, with 55 per cent of mosquito breeding grounds found in homes.
Flower pots, if left unchecked, can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
So the message again is for home owners to check for breeding grounds, as a puddle even the size of a 10-cent coin, can mean trouble.
Another 45 per cent of breeding grounds are outdoors - with clogged drains, pump rooms and roof tops posing big problems.
So Town Councils which look after common areas are urged to adopt the recommended vector control guidelines.
Similar guidelines for construction sites had proved successful when implemented in 1999.
Under the Environment Control Scheme, construction sites are required to engage officers trained by the NEA who draw up plans and monitoring schemes to keep the site free from mosquitoes.
Now only 9 per cent of mosquito breeding are found in construction sites - down from 30 per cent before.
The NEA said for the first half of this year, the number of dengue cases had already reached 6,022 - more than double for the same period last year (2,700).
The number of fines issued have also gone up, from 68 in February to 245 in June.
The upsurge in the number of dengue cases is, however, not peculiar to Singapore, with other countries in the region, facing a similar problem.
Thailand has seen 10,000 cases of the more dangerous dengue haemorrhagic fever while in Vietnam, more than 7,000 cases were reported.
Global warming has also been blamed for the rise in the number of dengue cases in the region.
The female Aedes mosquitoes are known to thrive more in warmer weather - maturing faster and hastening their reproduction ability. - CNA/de
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/159495/1/.html
They have already spent with no esults. That goes on to say for so much. -
great tat u talk abt this... and that's one of the place where the $ will be spent onOriginally posted by gorby107:They must well have a big major lesson or what on how to prevent dengue on mass media so most of the public will watch and know what precaution to take. Also can send out officers to explain to them and many more other ways....... -
$10 million not enough???? Guess year by year it will be increased the money spend on it
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holy fkcuk!......ALready 10 million spent + 7 million = 17 million
Wtf papayas, call yrself scholars and elites -
Yah you are correct. Those printing of materials, paying to media???Originally posted by sgboy2004:great tat u talk abt this... and that's one of the place where the $ will be spent on and others are being spent. But it only uses a small amount around 2 to 3% of it???? -
but until you kenna dengue...den you'll learn to appreciate the help and improvments made by the Govt.
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It didnt work idiots, 10 million down the drain already. Could have been used to helpe Kidney Patients.Originally posted by sgboy2004:prevention is better than cure -
Nature is a force to reckon with. There are always new species of mosquitos and insects appearing As i said before, it is alwalys best to use nature's own weapons against it.
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I understand that. The government has helped us the citizens a lot in many waysOriginally posted by vIn.Warrior:but until you kenna dengue...den you'll learn to appreciate the help and improvments made by the Govt.
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I think its worth spending that amount of money to curb the mosquito population. Maybe the money hasn't been used as effectively as it could be, but i agree that this is an area money should be spent on.
Bloody mosquitoes! Why don't you all die! -
What if the dengue was actually being used as a terrorist bioweapon? Just spending to curb the problem is not the way..... u need effective counter measures.
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Originally posted by Matthew Lim Li Hao:money well spent. Budget should be increased to 100 billion 100 billion dollars??? Are you joking or what? It is a lot of money!!!!!