Brazil launches "clean-up" campaign against Aedes aegypti

The federal government has mobilized civil servants today (Jan. 29) and promoted a "clean-up" in the buildings of the executive branch and in state-led companies throughout the country. The goal is to remove potential breeding sites of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the virus of dengue, chikungunya, and zika. The idea is to expand the campaign to the largest number of federal agencies as possible.

The Ministry of Defense prod all 1,200 military organizations across the country into action. In addition to the cleaning services in the ministry's building (Palácio do Itamaraty), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs translated into English and Spanish documents on combating the mosquito organized by the Health Ministry. The handout will be sent to 227 Brazil's posts  abroad.

In addition to the clean-up, lectures and handouts will be delivered to various public agencies. The initiative is part of the federal government's integrated action, developed by the president's office in partnership with the Planning and Health Ministries, to fight against the mosquito.

All country's hospitals, whether public, private, or philanthropic, treating patients from the Unified Public Healthcare System (SUS) will also have a "clean-up day" against the Aedes aegypti next Wednesday (Feb. 4). According to Health Minister Marcelo Castro, the initiative has scheduled other actions proposed by the federal government in an attempt to prevent the Zika virus' outbreak in Brazil.

Castro also reported that on February, 13th, there will be a national mobilization, in which nearly 220,000 members of the army, navy, and air force will go door-to-door to inspect Brazilian residences. "We want to encourage society to be committed to this cause."

President Dilma Rousseff and some ministers met today (Jan. 29), in Brasília, in the national room for coordination and control actions to combat dengue, chikungunya, and zika virus. And using video conference, they have talked with state governors about the national mobilization against Aedes aegypti. "We'll have to mobilize three times more than we had with dengue. Zika is not a flu”, declared the president.

Vaccine

The president also reported that, when consulting with São Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin, she received the news that the dengue vaccine, being developed at the Butantan Institute, will be tested next Monday (Feb. 1).

Rousseff ensured that even in a moment of fiscal adjustment, it is not possible to risk running out of money to fight against the mosquito. "I'm sure that this is not only the federal government's effort [not to run out of money], but also of the Congress. This expense accounts for the country's public health. There is no belt-tightening, nor limits [for this]. We will provide all our resources," she concluded.

Traslated by Amarílis Anchieta

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