An information and awareness meeting for media actors was held in Ouagadougou on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, as part of the response to dengue fever in the Central Region. A meeting organized by the Center’s Regional Directorate of Health and Public Hygiene with financial support from the Burkinabe Red Cross. Objective: to encourage the contribution of men and women from the media to the fight against this disease.
Burkina Faso is experiencing an unprecedented outbreak of dengue fever, far beyond what was observed in 2014, 2016 and 2017. According to Dramane Coulibaly, a sanitary engineer, dengue fever has caused the deaths of 511 people throughout Burkinabe territory as of November 12. , 2023 for 49,808 probable cases. For the Central Region alone, the disease caused the deaths of 220 people, in week 45, i.e. from January 1 to November 12, 2023 with 32,999 probable cases. Cases of dengue fever have been reported in all regions of Burkina Faso, although the incidence is lower than in the Center and Hauts-Bassins regions.
To tackle the dengue epidemic, the Ministry of Health and Hygiene is implementing several strategies, including free rapid diagnostic tests. To date, the Central Regional Directorate of Health has received 15,050 tests that have been made available to medical centers. At this point, Dr. Daniel Yerbanga, regional director of health and public hygiene at the Center and Dengue Incident Manager, emphasizes that the tests are for those who show signs of the disease, and not for everyone who has the disease. health facilities.
- Journalists invited to contribute to the fight against dengue
The measures also include collective and individual prevention measures. Collective measures relate to vector control, involving indoor spraying of suspected cases and their immediate neighbors, spraying in health care facilities and spraying in the room. In Ouagadougou, more than 200 public places are expected to be sprayed. There is also the physical destruction of larval breeding grounds in homes by volunteers, community health workers and also the 100 volunteers of the Burkinabe Red Cross.
- Dramane Coulibaly, sanitary engineer, recalls that vector control is one of the Ministry of Health’s strategies to combat dengue.
In order for the fight against dengue to be effective, populations are invited to implement individual prevention measures such as the use of insect repellents, wearing long clothes, but above all to clean their environment to prevent the spread of mosquitoes.
Avoid self-medication at all costs
Faced with symptoms similar to those of dengue fever (severe headache, fever, myalgia, joint pain, retro-orbital pain, breathing difficulties, bleeding, abdominal pain, etc.), you should immediately go to the nearest health center. the regional health director. And above all, avoid taking medications without a doctor’s prescription, especially medications such as ibuprofen, diclofenac and aspirin, because there is a risk of bleeding if it turns out that you are suffering from dengue fever.
- Dr. Daniel Yerbanga invites patients to avoid self-medication
As for herbal remedies for treating dengue fever, Dr. Yerbanga also advises caution.
As a reminder, dengue is transmitted by a mosquito called Aedes or tiger mosquito. This mosquito usually bites during the day early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Justine Bonkoungou
Lefaso.net