Thrombocyte level is not actually the reference point in this case. “Dengue is not a thrombocyte-lowering disease. Instead of worrying about continued thrombocyte reduction, doctors are actually afraid that plasma leakage will occur. In such cases, patients require hydration not from oral administration, but intravenously. This method inserts the liquid directly into blood vessels, thus preventing shock and fatality,” dr. Anggi said.
No Cure Yet
dr. Tiara states that Indonesia means to become dengue-free by 2025. “This target is quite ambitious, I admit. However, with vector control protocols and everyone’s participation and cooperation, we are cautiously optimistic that it is feasible. The initial target is to reduce the incidence of morbidity to fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 citizens in 95% of our regencies and towns. We plan to reduce mortality rate to 0.5% by 2025; it’s still 1% now,” she said.
There is no cure for dengue fever as of now. However, it is preventable by eliminating the breeding ground of mosquitos (draining and covering water containers, burying and recycling unused items), and improving one’s immunity by the usual consumption of nutritious food, performing routine exercise, and avoiding mosquito stings by using mosquito nets and/or insect repelling lotions, especially when sleeping. Regional Governments may support these steps by fogging their regions with insecticide to kill off mosquitoes.
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As dengue fever tends to increase during change of season (such as now), the Ministry of Health encourages people to participate in a health promotion/illness prevention scheme of 1 House 1 Insect Inspector Movement (Gerakan 1 Rumah 1 Jumantik – “G1R1J”). This is when family members actively prevent the formation of mosquito breeding, whether at home, neighborhoods, offices, and schools, to achieve a 95% larva-free environs. “During the Covid-19 pandemics, the home becomes the primary site of daily activities. Therefore, to prevent double illness, all family members must actively and routinely clean the home in order to prevent mosquitoes that cause dengue fever from breeding,” dr. Tiara said. (est)