by Carl Ian John S Hallazgo

Xavier University Biology 58.1 (Entomology) students conducted a whole day workshop on dengue mosquito surveillance and control for the 30 barangay health workers of Kauswagan and Balulang at the Science Center Biology laboratory on Sept 25.

The workshop was under the Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana-Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO)'s Collaborative Student Learning Program (CSLP).

Dr Meneleo R Navarro, CEO of San Ignacio de Salud Inc spoke about dengue and its nature while
Danilo Gualberto, the class adviser, presented updates from the Department of Health on dengue occurrence in the city. As regional coordinator of the Mosquito Dengue Fighters Association MDFA, Gualberto also shared about the situation of the barangays based on his field experiences.

“The main problem between the barangay health workers and the students is the lack of coordination… the workers have not been told where the ovitraps are and therefore cannot visit them,” he expressed.

An ovitrap is a device used to monitor and kill dengue-vector mosquitoes. The barangay health workers were shown by the students how to fabricate an ovitrap and identify the larvae and pupae of some mosquito species under the microscope.

The workshop was a good learning engagement for the students and the barangay health workers.

“Now I know the difference between Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus,” a barangay health worker commented after the workshop.