YOGYAKARTA - Two former finalists of Miss Indonesia 2010, Anggit Fityay Adzhani and Princess Ariani Devanti, participated supporting the Anti-mosquito Larva Movement (Gegana) at Bulusari Hamlet, Srimartani Village, Piyungan, Bantul, Saturday (23/4). This activity is the result of UGM Student Creativity Program (PKM) in the field of community service. Anggit and Devanti, both are students from Faculty of Medicine (FK) UGM who were invited specifically to guide the tens little jumantik around to people's homes to check for mosquito larvae in water storage tanks owned by residents. "The students were enthusiastic to be invited to check the mosquito larvae, even some of them count the larvae," Anggit said met on the sidelines of events.
The woman born in Jakarta in 1990 admitted surprised that elementary school students who became little cadres of larva monitoring (jumantik) enjoyed the activity. In addition checking the larva, jumantik cadres were also taught hand-washing practices to promote healthy behavior. "We also informed them how good hand washing is," said student of Faculty of Meidicine class 2008.
Although it was the first time for her to follow the activities with students, Anggit admitted impressed upon the little jumantik’s concern against eradication program of mosquito larva which cause chikungunya and dengue fever.
Ridwan Ansari, PKM UGM team member, said the idea of launching Gegana hamlet departed from health problems with the emergence of extraordinary cases of chikungunya, dengue and diarrhea every year. "Last year, there were recorded 150 cases of chikungunya," he said.
After five members of student team conducted search and research, it was just known that the causes of the outbreak of new cases of dengue, chikungunya, and diarrhea in Bulusari Hamlet were poor sanitary conditions of water and the growing mosquito larvae sources from rain-fed pond and water reservoirs owned by residents. "We found a lot of mosquito breeding sites, such as ex vats, ex pots, reservoirs that allow the growth of mosquito larvae, including rain-fed pond as a growing medium," he said.
Ridwan explained that Bulusari Hamlet is a karst area making it difficult to get clean water so that residents rely solely on rain water to meet daily needs. One solution done by the students is the procurement of water filtration system in form of filter barrel chemically and physically. Furthermore, residents were directed to rear catfish and tilapia fish in used ponds to break the life chain of mosquito larvae.