FOCUS As the nation remains transfixed on political squabbles, multi-billion ringgit scandals and debates over controversial preachers, one man is focusing his efforts on saving us from a killer.

The death toll continues to rise. Its thirst for blood knows no political affliations, race or religion.

Meet S Veeramohan. The 60-year-old grandfather who believes he has found a cost-efficient method to effectively combat the dengue epidemic.

A retired health environmental officer and now the Malaysian Association of Environmental Health (MAEH) vice-president, Veeramohan has been advocating this method to municipal councils, health authorities and the public for the past 14 years - often travelling from his residence in Sitiawan.

WHO admits outdated methods

Contrary to popular belief, Veeramohan’s method does not involve heavy and constant insecticide spraying.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) themselves have admitted that insecticide-spraying and other traditional techniques of mosquito control have not reduced dengue cases,” Veeramohan said, citing a recent Medical Xpress report .

“And yet many governments worldwide are still following these methods previously encouraged by WHO,” Veeramohan said in an interview with Malaysiakini on April 15.

“Insecticide fogging doesn’t just reduce the Aedes mosquito population; it kills useful insects and also contaminates our food.

“Look at the (recent) food poisoning case in Batu Gajah,” he pointed out.

Veeramohan was referring to the March 4 food poisoning episodes in Siputeh, Batu Gajah, in which 102 people were treated at various hospitals after eating nasi lemak, kuey teow goreng, kuih bom, and cucur badak - which were believed to be tainted by the pesticide carbamate.

The patients vomited and had diarrhea, which the authorities believed were caused by food poisoning.

The matter took a serious turn when one of the victims who had been warded for food poisoning at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, died at the intensive care unit five days later.

Female Aedes mosquitoes attack at dawn

“Aedes victims are often aged between nine and 45 years old; people who are often outdoors to attend school and commute to work,” replied Veeramohan, who has been studying the social habits of mosquitoes since he became a health environmental officer in 1979.

“That’s because female Aedes mosquitoes attack at dawn - when the atmosphere suits them - where the climate is cool and humid, and their light-sensitive eyes can comfortably adjust to the darkness.

“They sense human body heat, carbon dioxide and sweat; swoops in and ‘chomp’.

That’s when they feed on these unfortunate people’s blood, thus, infecting them with the dengue virus that they previously acquired from an infected person,” the MAEH vice-president explained.

He added that after mating, female mosquitoes need the blood as protein nourishment for the eggs they will soon be laying.

“It’s because of development lah.”

“The jungles were the natural habitat of the Asian tiger mosquitoes (carriers of the dengue virus), but those trees and bushes had to make way for towns and cities,” Veeramohan said.

“So, without jungle denizens’ blood like monkeys to feed upon, these Aedes mosquitoes had to make do with our blood.

Fueled by flower nectar, aedes mosquitoes can only fly up to a radius of 50 metres.

“Unlike vampires in your popular fiction, mosquitoes are not choosy upon whose blood they feed on. The nearest person will do,” Veeramohan added.

Identifying dengue hotspots

“When a person is diagnosed with dengue, health professionals should identify his daily routine and route.

“Which route does he take to reach his office or school? What kind of public transportation does he use daily? Which walkway does he pass by?” Veeramohan pondered.

According to the health environment veteran, if the daily routes of most dengue victims point to the same areas - voila - the health authorities have found their dengue hotspot.

“Then, let the Aedes mosquito cleaning-up begin,” he proclaimed.

Crushing their lairs

Veeramohan clarified that Aedes mosquitoes do not breed on water surfaces.

“Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs on the surface of any dry or damp nook and cranny. (Any container will do.) Even a discarded can could be a breeding ground for thousands of mosquitoes.

“A female mosquito lays dozens of eggs at a time, and the larvae can survive for months. If the damp surface contains dead plants and insects, these larvae feed on them and transform into pupae within three or four days.

“In about seven to ten days’ time, brand-new mosquitoes carrying the dengue strain arise,” Veeramohan cautioned.

“That’s when the municipal councils and public should initiate ‘gotong royong’ activities to clean up the trash, discarded equipment and weeds in these hotspots.

“For those who are gung-ho for fogging, now’s the time to use residual larvacides. Since you have identified the hotspots, spray on!” he added with gusto.

Veeramohan added that the ideal time to spray residual larvacides at these hotspots is at night, when there are not many people outdoors.

Prevention is the best policy

Having spent decades in the battle against Aedes mosquitoes, Veeramohan had learnt a thing or 10 about preventing these blood-suckers from causing more misery to our lives:

  • Do not simply litter (a principle we have been taught since childhood);
  • Apply mosquito repellent on your skin with mosquito repellent whenever possible; and
  • Use other animals or plants to repel mosquitoes.

“Dragonflies, frogs, praying mantis, lizards, and ants eat mosquito larvae. So, try to be nice to them, okay?”

“Even spiders are mosquito predators for they feast on mosquitoes frequently entrapped in their webs,” he continued.

If you find insects too icky for combating Aedes mosquitoes, Veeramohan said plants are effective, too.

He added that the odour of certain plants irritate mosquitoes.

“Plant some peppermint at home. Though we find their smell refreshing, mosquitoes are turned off by their odour. They’ll avoid your home,” he added.

Other mosquito-repelling plants that Veeramohan recommended are rosemary, citrosa and catnip.

“They are easily available in Malaysia. Visit your neighbourhood plant shop,” Veeramohan said.

Proven results

Veeramohan’s method had earned admirers who have adopted his technique, including the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

“DBKL implemented our method in Setapak, and the district has reported a drop in dengue cases.

“And recently, deputy director-general of Health Dr Lokman (Hakim Sulaiman) and Johor municipal councils have expressed an interest in our method,” he said.

Veeramohan also claimed that besides DBKL, the DoubleTree by Hilton group of hotels in Malaysia are also helping the MAEH (as part of its corporate social responsibility programme) in creating awareness and implementing this anti-dengue method.

“I’m especially worried for the kids. About 25 percent of dengue victims are those in primary and secondary schools,” he added.

Malaysiakini has contacted the DoubleTree by Hilton group and DBKL regarding their roles in combating the dengue epidemic.

So, tell me, constant reader - what’s more important to you at the moment?

Would you rather be bitten by a politician’s promise for continued ‘prosperity’; or reforms to establish a national ‘utopia’?

Or would you prefer not to be bitten at all - be it by a politico or an Aedes mosquito?