Bicolanos are ramping up efforts to combat mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and malaria through innovative and community-driven solutions, including the use of mosquito-eating fish and modified strategies, among other innovations.
The Department of Health (DOH) recently launched four ‘dengue’ fast lanes in key hospitals across the region to ensure prompt treatment of patients, requiring emergency medical care. Hospitals with dedicated emergency lanes include:
- Bicol Regional Health and Medical Center in Legazpi City
- DOH-Malinao Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Albay,
- Bicol Region General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center in Camarines Sur
- Bicol Medical Center in Camarines Sur
To reinforce prevention, the DOH also introduced the “Alas Kuwatro Kontra Mosquito” campaign, an updated version of the four o’clock habit.
This initiative follows the 4T strategy: taob (turn over), taktak (drain), tuyo (dry), and takip (cover)—a cleanup drive scheduled daily before 4 p.m., targeting breeding grounds of aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for spreading dengue.
The Albay Provincial Health Office also started distributing insecticide-treated nets across the province, with at least 770 rolls allocated to various city and rural health offices. The distribution, which began on January 16, 2025, is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter.
Meanwhile, in a unique ecological approach, the Rotary Club of Legazpi Central, in collaboration with the Albay Veterinary Office, introduced gambusia affinis, commonly known as mosquitofish, to help control the mosquito population.
These small fish, known for their appetite for mosquito larvae, can consume up to 100 mosquito eggs per day.
Last month, 20 mosquitofish were released at the Albay Park and Wildlife Ponds, followed by an additional 30 fish, bringing the total to 50. The fish are expected to reproduce within a month, providing a natural, low-cost, and eco-friendly solution to mosquito control.
Health officials advise placing mosquitofish in stagnant water sources such as garden ponds, fountains, and rainwater containers—but not in natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers—to ensure they adapt effectively before their “special mission” of reducing mosquito populations.
The intensified dengue prevention campaign in Bicol also includes DOH’s enhanced 5S strategy: search and destroy mosquitoes, self-protect, seek early consultation, support fogging in outbreak areas, and sustain hydration to minimize dengue risks.