Brazil, Colombia unite efforts to combat Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
Two municipalities that establish the so-called "dry border" between Brazil and Colombia decided to unite efforts to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits dengue, chikungunya fever, and Zika virus. Tabatinga, in Amazonas state, and Leticia, in the Colombian side of the border, will have a binational room for coordinating actions and controling the Aedes aegypti.
Since there is free movement of citizens from both towns, the idea of the joint action is to exchange epidemiological information and formulate strategies to combat the mosquito.
"Today's actions are not integrated. Actually they are carried out based on the availability not only of human resources, but of inputs on both sides [of the border]. The perspective is to carry out single actions but [which are] really defined and integrated within a local partnership process," explained Bernardino Albuquerque, president of the Foundation for Health Surveillance of Amazonas (FVS-AM),.
Meetings attended by representatives from both countries are scheduled for the last Friday of each month.
"It is not efficient to visit each house here in Brazil, if the opportunity to carry out the same actions is not offered to Colombia, or vice versa. For the mosquito, there is no border," stated Albuquerque. According to him, there is also the possibility of integrating Peruvian cities bordering the Amazonas state into the actions.
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: Brazil, Colombia unite efforts to combat Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
