By: Syazwina Rhyme

SERDANG, 23 November 2024 – The Residential and Welfare Secretariat (SKNK) of Kolej Tan Sri Mustaffa Babjee (KTMB), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), successfully organized the Fight Infection, Observe, Notify, Act (F.I.O.N.A) Dengue! program around Kolej Tan Sri Mustaffa Babjee, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The program spanned two days, on the 20th and 23rd of November 2024, with a total participation of 527 KTMB students, supported by the College Management and the Student Union. The participants included 497 attendees and 30 organizing committee members.

This program aimed to raise students’ awareness about dengue prevention and to conduct a community cleanup to reduce the breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes. It also aligned with the objective of creating a clean and safe college environment while fostering a spirit of collaboration among students.

The program director, second-year Bachelor of Environmental and Occupational Health student Siti Nur Syazwina Binti Rhyme, remarked, “F.I.O.N.A Dengue! is not just a cleanliness campaign, but an effort to educate and unite the college community to work together in maintaining a healthy environment and preventing vector-borne diseases such as dengue.”

On the first day, a talk titled “Fight the Bite!” was delivered by Associate Professor Dr. Rahmat Bin Dapari from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UPM. According to him, “This talk is an excellent initiative, providing students with an opportunity to understand proactive measures to prevent dengue, ultimately protecting the college community.”

The guest speaker, Associate Professor Dr. Rahmat Bin Dapari, is delivering a talk on dengue.

Group photography session that took place at the end of the program on the first day.

On the second day, the program continued with aerobic exercises followed by a cleanup activity involving students, college management staff, and fellows. Participants were divided into groups to clean areas around the college, including the college premises, surau, café, and field, which were identified as high-risk zones for mosquito breeding.

Participants warming up with an energizing aerobics session before starting the gotong-royong activities.

Several participants expressed positive feedback regarding the cleanup activity. “I find this program very meaningful. Besides cleaning the college, we also learn the importance of hygiene in preventing dengue while making new friends,” said Dhanisha, one of the participants of the F.I.O.N.A Dengue! Cleanup.

Gotong-royong session around the college area was held, involving participants from diverse race and ethnicity.

It is hoped that this program will enhance awareness of dengue prevention and encourage participants to adopt preventive measures for everyone’s well-being. The program also aims to cultivate a sense of responsibility towards the environment among students, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) emphasizing health, cleanliness, and community welfare.

Additionally, the college hopes that such efforts can serve as an example and inspiration for other colleges to take similar steps in addressing public health issues. With active involvement from students, staff, and fellows, it is believed that the spirit of cooperation demonstrated can yield positive impacts not only for the college but also for the wider community. May this program mark the beginning of more meaningful initiatives contributing to student development and the well-being of the UPM community.

Date of Input: 12/12/2024 | Updated: 12/12/2024 | adib