Kris Aquino appointed 'ambassador for dengue'

Kris Aquino, the youngest sister of President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino, was appointed Ambassador for Dengue Prevention by the Department of Health (DOH). A report on Balitanghali showed Aquino giving away anti-dengue kits at the Rosa L. Susano-Novaliches (RLSN) elementary school in Quezon City, where students are asked to wear pajamas because of the rising number of dengue cases in the school.
Aquino said she was willing to do this for the health department because she can relate to the dengue problem. Last year, Aquino's children Joshua and Baby James both had dengue. The visit to RLSN is part of the DOH's effort to go around the metro to distribute information posters and other campaign materials against dengue. On Tuesday, Health Secretary Enrique Ona turned over anti-dengue materials to Department of Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, who said students should share what they know about dengue to their parents and other members of their household. DOH heightened its information campaign against dengue after a 75% rise in dengue cases was recorded from January 1 to August 14 this year, compared to the same period in 2009. Some 54,659 dengue cases and 429 deaths were recorded from January to July this year. The DOH continues to remind the public about the best prevention against dengue:

• search and destroy breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes;
• use self-protective measures like water repellant and long pants or long-sleeved shirts;
• seek early consultation when one has high grade fever for more than two days, and
• say no to indiscriminate fogging. –VVP, GMANews.TV