The country’s prime agencies on science and technology and health are joining forces to give reliable solutions to crucial health problems that affect folks particularly in the grassroots.

One is the partnership between the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Health to fight dengue through the national roll out of the Mosquito Ovicidal/ Larvicidal Trap system.

Following its successful launch last February in Tacloban City, DOST through its Industrial Technology Development Institute is set to produce additional 500,000 kits to be distributed to 125,000 households nationwide.

This is on top of the 200,000 sets previously distributed to various regions last February. The distribution of additional OL Traps, according to DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo, just proves that “the government is really bent on reducing the number of dengue cases in the country.”

The additional OL Trap kits will be distributed from July until December, in time for the rainy seasons. Each recipient household, previously identified by the DOH, will receive four sets of kits and six months supply of the organic pellets, all for free.

“With the additional OL Trap kits for distribution, we can fully cover all the dengue prone areas in the country, and make further studies on these,” Montejo added.

Moreover, DOST and DOH are also collaborating to enhance the delivery of efficient health care in the country especially to the remote areas of the country through the National Telehealth Service Program (NTSP).

The NTSP aims to link doctors to the barrios with remote specialists through the use of information and communication technologies, such as the mobile phone, to facilitate the diagnosis of experts based on the vital information sent by the attending doctor.

The telehealth program is set for implementation nationwide to help health workers and doctors in delivering health care especially to fourth up to sixth class municipalities.

“When government agencies work together, we can come up with possible solutions to big problems hounding our nation,” said Montejo. “We are able to share our modest resources to enhance our delivery of service to our people.”

The production and distribution of OL Trap, as well as the implementation of the teleheatlh program, will be formally agreed as partnership initiatives of the DOST and DOH through the signing of Memoranda of Agreement by Sec. Montejo and Sec. Enrique Ona on April 14, 2011 at the Anabel’s Restaurant in Quezon City.

The respective MOA of the two programs will define the roles and responsibilities of each agency to achieve maximum results that would benefit the people in the communities. (Joy M. Lazcano)

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