“Mortein Pakistan conducting an awareness drive at Sindh Government Hospital, Malir with Zubeda Apa to educate people about Chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases.”
Karachi: Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan (RB), makers of Mortein, launched an awareness drive at the Sindh Government Hospital, Malir to educate people on preventive measures against the viral mosquito-borne disease, Chikungunya. Popular celebrity, Zubeda Aapa, was also part of this activity to share remedies for prevention and distribute mosquito protection kits to the patients.
Chikungunya virus is primarily transmitted through the Aedes Aegypti mosquito that breeds and lives around stagnant water, infecting humans with the virus. 86 suspected cases have surfaced in Malir with a high chance of the disease spreading across the country. Patients affected by Chikungunya suffer from high fever, severe joint pain, headaches, nausea, fatigue and rashes.
Mortein has been working on spreading awareness about mosquito-borne diseases for the last few years. The “Dengue Se Pak Pakistan” campaign, launched in 2016, aims to stop morbidity and mortality resulting from mosquito-borne diseases by empowering people and providing communities the knowledge and means to curb these diseases in a sustainable way. Talking about this initiative, Urooj Hashmi, Brand Manager for Mortein, said, “RB believes in addressing health and hygiene issues at grassroots level. The sudden rise in patients diagnosed with Chikungunya made it vital for Mortein to intervene in educating people on combatting the virus. Without any access to a vaccine, the only method of avoiding the disease is to take the necessary precautionary measures and that’s what we are here to address.”
Speaking about Chikungunya, Dr. Nadeem Ahmed of the Sindh Government Hospital in Malir said, “It is high time for social mobilization and for households to be aware of the steps that need to be taken to protect themselves in order to avoid a large scale outbreak. We are thankful to Mortein for taking this initiative and hope this partnership will be fruitful in creating massive awareness.”
There are four key steps that can be taken on an individual level to avoid mosquito-borne diseases such as Chikungunya, Dengue, Zika and Malaria. These include covering water containers and getting rid of stagnant water puddles; clearing trash to keep surroundings clean; guarding against mosquitoes through pest-control products such as Mortein and, encouraging others on a community level to mobilize social awareness.
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