As a certified safety professional, I urge the Health Department to enlist the help of the community in addressing the current dengue problem.

The first step is to provide accurate up-to-date information o­n the disease, how it spreads, how the mosquitoes responsible must be controlled, how to recognise symptoms and seek immediate treatment.

Since each 'epidemic' may introduce new factors in the resistance of the vector (mosquito) to traditional controls, or the vulnerability of target populations, it is important for epidemiological information o­n cases to be readily available to all those who can contribute to solutions.

It is understood that the current dengue occurrences may not be limited to clean water -bred mosquitoes around houses.

Malaysians know that pools of both clean and stagnant water abound around construction sites, and in pits, drains and containments systems under the control of businesses and government agencies.

Those involved in the management and maintenance of such areas must be mobilised to remove the breeding sites.

Years ago, the Tennessee Valley Authority which controls the hydro-electric dams in that American state had a malaria problem due to the dams.

They found that the solution was to simply change the level in the dams each day so that the still areas near the edges became dry before the mosquito larvae could hatch.

A similar approach could be applied to many of the wet areas in Malaysia without the need for pesticides or expensive equipment.

It does however require information, awareness and action. Total control is not required, and is not possible.

But practical steps are needed, such as partial draining, which often o­nly requires unplugging blockages or arranging drains and settling ponds in a series so that releases from o­ne to another can be carried out, training rubber plantation workers to turn over
rubber pots or other containers which are not in use, etc.

My point is that the solutions are not beyond us unless we are left in the dark.