OIKN Trains Project K3 Team to Prevent Malaria and Dengue Fever
To prevent the outbreak of malaria and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) is promoting and maximising the role of health cadres as the frontline in control efforts, and providing training on malaria and DHF prevention at IKN for the Occupational Safety and Health (K3) teams of construction projects in IKN, on Thursday (9/4) at the Multifunction Hall of the Joint Office 4, Core Area of the Government Centre (KIPP) IKN.
“Through the Health Cadre Training for Malaria and DHF Prevention that is being held, the government emphasises that controlling infectious diseases no longer relies solely on the health sector,” stated the Director of Basic Services of the IKN Authority, Suwito, in his remarks.
He revealed that this training was attended by housing managers and K3 teams from various work packages in the KIPP IKN area. They are projected to become health cadres who will play a role in community education, environmental control, and disease prevention in their respective work environments.
As a follow-up, after this training, OIKN will form the IKN health cadre team through an official decree, consisting of all training participants, and it is hoped they can carry out roles in community education, vector control in the environment, and sustainable disease prevention.
“We emphasise that community involvement is key to breaking the chain of transmission. Controlling malaria and DHF cannot be done only by the health sector. The role of the community is the main key,” he stressed.
He explained that malaria is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, while DHF is by Aedes aegypti. However, if the vectors can be controlled, transmission can be prevented. Indeed, the KIPP IKN area currently has no local malaria transmission. “Although there is no local malaria transmission, DHF cases remain a challenge that must be faced,” he said.
Therefore, OIKN targets a 50% reduction in DHF cases through strengthening early warning systems and increasing community roles, especially in residential areas and high-risk construction sites due to water puddles.
COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH
At the same venue, a representative from the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Bambang Siswanto, emphasised the importance of a community-based approach in disease control. Currently, his side is intensifying the ‘Jentik-Free Village’ programme.
“This programme aims to control disease vectors such as malaria and DHF; the programme has been trialled in several regions, including East Kalimantan, specifically in Penajam Paser Utara Regency,” he explained.
Controlling mosquito larvae of this type, he continued, must be a shared responsibility, not just the health sector’s, but also local government and the community.
“The main role now lies with sub-district heads, village heads, and local government, while health workers act as technical facilitators. In addition, the government is also preparing the concept of larva-free zones for special areas such as industrial zones and the IKN area,” he elaborated.
CHALLENGES IN CONTROL
According to him, in the field, disease control challenges arise along with development activities. Construction areas are considered vulnerable points for mosquito breeding due to water puddles.
Meanwhile, a representative from an HSE participant of the Judicial Project Package, Reza, explained that at their project site and other packages, if new workers enter, they will be introduced to the HSE induction system or health screening. “We also ask about previous medical history, where they come from, and so on,” he concluded.