Billions spent on dengue

Billions spent on dengue

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: Indonesia spends Rp 47.25 billion
(US$17.83 million) annually on curbing the spread of dengue
across the country, an official said.

Dr. Hadi Abednego, director general for the prevention of
communicable diseases at the Ministry of Health, was quoted by
Antara as saying Tuesday that dengue prevalence increases every
year while efforts to curb its spread are often hampered by
public ignorance.

"The disease causes a great deal of losses, including lives,"
he said.

The ministry routinely holds public education programs on
dengue, especially at the beginning of the dry and monsoon
seasons as that is when the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, that carry
the disease, lay eggs. (swe)