KOTA KINABALU: People in residential areas are encouraged to be involved in the ‘1Rumah 1Juara' (1R1J) program to fight and prevent dengue fever.

Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai, during the launching of the state-level 1R1J program at Kampung Likas Hall on Sunday (26 November) said it was quite difficult for those who live in residential areas to do a ‘gotong-royong' and other activities to eradicate mosquito breeding places.

His speech was delivered by City Hall deputy director-general (operations) Noorliza Awang Alip.

He said the State Health Department (JKNS) had carried out various activities related to dengue fever, including the Communication for Behavioural Impact (COMBI) program, Community prevention from dengue information group among community leaders (KICK-Dengue) and gotong-royong ‘Ayuh Gempur Aedes'.

Yeo said the 1R1J program was a concept ‘from family to family and from community to community' where social mobilization and communication were used to alter the risky behaviours of the public towards dengue fever in order to prevent a disease outbreak.

The program, which was organized by JKNS, was in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) approach of Social Community Mobilization, Yeo said.

Yeo also said the involvement of various government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO), associations and society leaders should also be increased in order to inhibit disease outbreaks.

The 1R1J program is aimed to strengthen every household to prevent dengue fever by maintaining the cleanliness of a house, inside and outside.

Also present were JKNS senior assistant director (vector-borne disease control plan) Dr Koay Teng Koon representing JKNS director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi, district health (epidemiology) officer Dr Sahrol Nizam Abu Bakar, JKNS senior assistant director (health promotion) Ab Razak Md Noh and Kampung Likas Utara Village Chief Hj Mumin Rasam.