Vanuatu Red Cross Society (VRCS) has been collaborating with the Ministry of Health to respond to the dengue fever outbreak.
Strategies used by the VRCS include community mobilisation and mass communication through a range of methods including SMS messaging, social media, print media, door knocking, and working with schools to raise awareness with students.
Children are vulnerable to dengue fever so working with schools is an important activity. Interactive learning activities are conducted with students to teach them about risks, symptoms, treatment and prevention. Students are also engaged with to actively participate in important activities such as mapping mosquito breeding sites in and around the school environment and then working together to eliminate them.
This activity would not be possible without the support of volunteers that help the Red Cross in times of need. Their enthusiasm and passion for this work is remarkable.
In the video, volunteer Christopher Daniel Matariki (area secretary of Emae) explains some of the activities that are currently occurring in Emae.