Aedes aegypti mosquito carrying Wolbachia bacteria has once again be released to a number of districts in Yogyakarta. It is an outcome of research by Faculty of Medicine UGM, EDP Yogyakarta, with funding from Yayasan Tahija Indonesia. Wolbachia in the mosquito is able to suppress the transmission of dengue virus fever.
“Wolbachia bacteria will blockade the replication virus of dengue fever so when the insect bites a human, the virus transmission becomes ineffective,” said dr. Riris Andono Ahmad M.P.H., Ph.D, from the Epidemiologic team of the EDP Yogya.
This time the mosquito with Wolbachia will be released to 12 clusters in Yogyakarta, including Cokrodiningratan, Ngupasan, Muja Muju, Pringgokusuman, Sosromenduran, Baciro, Suryatmajan, Tegal Panggung, Terban, Kadipaten, Patehan, Wirogunan, Warungboto, Mantrijeron, Bangunharjo, and Sorosutan. The release starts from March to November 2017.
To mark the event, EDP Yogya and Yayasan Tahija have hosted a thanksgivings on Wednesday (22/3) at Taman Siswa, Yogyakarta, attended by EDP researchers, Yogayakarta Health Agency, Yayasan Tahija, district leaders and residents who all wore traditional costumes. Without doubt, the success of the program is due to the synergy of the community, related agencies, and the researchers.
EDP main researcher, Prof. Adi Utarini, M.Sc., Ph.D., expressed gratitude to all residents that succeeded the mosquito release programme. He hoped the research would benefit the wider public. “Hopefully, with the Wolbachia mosquito, the people of Yogyakarta can be healthier and patients of dengue fever reduces,” said Adi Utarini.