The Department of Science & Technology here has distributed 14,348 ovicidal-larvicidal traps (OL traps) to public elementary and secondary schools in Negros Oriental last week to help in the fight against dengue.
DOST provincial director Gilbert Arbon said the DOST provided an initial two-month supply of the OL trap kits for 7,174 classrooms in the five cities and Negros Oriental divisions.
“OL traps prevent the larvae from maturing into dengue-carrying mosquitoes, thus we aim to contain and reduce the spread of the disease in places where mosquitoes congregate and breed during daytime, like classrooms,” DOST Secretary Mario Montejo said.
The OL trap is a simple technology that kills the eggs and larvae of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries the dengue virus. The black container attracts mosquitoes to lay their eggs on the lawanit strip soaked with the OL pellet-water solution.
The OL pellets, made of organic and non-toxic material, attract mosquitoes and kill their young, in effect reducing the number of the next generation of mosquitoes.
DOST’s school-based OL Trap program intends to reduce the number of mosquito population in schools and communities, and subsequently lower dengue incidents, through the use of the OL Trap.
On June 1, the science and technology department delivered 4,836 Ol trap kits to the following city divisions: Bais City for 431 classrooms; Bayawan City for 661 classrooms; Dumaguete City, 460; Guihulngan City, 431; and Tanjay City with 435, all with a total of 2,418 classrooms.
For Negros Oriental division with 23 districts under the Department of Education, DOST gave out 9,512 kits for 4,756 classrooms.
Through OL trap system project, the DOST, DepEd and health department hope to reduce the number of dengue cases in the province.
In a press statement, Montejo said, “in this program, DOST works very closely with the health, education, and local government departments. Each agency has a very important role in the program to significantly reduce the number of dengue cases among our school children.” (rmn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)
