'No fumigation at my house yet'

Many people think that fumigation is ineffective in curbing the spread of dengue as compared to mobilizing the people to eliminate the Aedes aegypti mosquito's breeding ground, which is in clear, standing water. The Jakarta Post asked residents their thoughts on the issue.

Amin, 34, is a driver. He lives with his wife and two children in Cengkareng, West Jakarta:

There seems to be a dengue outbreak each year now. Thank God, no one in my family, or even my whole neighborhood, has ever contracted the disease.

I am aware of the symptoms through the media. And from what I know, it can be fatal.

If my children ever have a prolonged fever, I'll rush them to a hospital immediately.

Even though the city administration said it would provide free care in certain hospitals, I am still not convinced.

Completing the paperwork and going through all that red-tape will be a hassle.

I don't care if I have to borrow money from strangers to go to another hospital, after all, my children are the most precious thing on earth.

Tarbilah, 30, is a scavenger. The father of two lives in Kelapa Dua, East Jakarta:

I am not aware that the city has promised to provide free treatment for dengue patients. Nobody ever told me.

Although there are lots of mosquitoes, my neighborhood has not been fumigated yet. There hasn't been any fumigation of the area in the past two years for that matter.

However, I think the people in my neighborhood are doing what they can to prevent dengue. We clean the area each week. So far, nobody has contracted the disease.

--The Jakarta Post