Dengue prevention requires year-round community action
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Across Argentina and other Latin American countries, people are working to prevent dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya through sustained community efforts.
The mosquito Aedes aegypti, which transmits these diseases, breeds near homes, making consistent prevention crucial. A 2023 survey revealed that only 29% of Argentinians feel well-informed about dengue, prompting SC Johnson to launch the “Chau Mosquito” campaign in 2016.
The campaign trains community members, teachers, healthcare workers, and local leaders, to share information and prevention techniques with families and neighbors. Since its start, “Chau Mosquito” has reached over two million families and trained more than 10,000 community multipliers in Argentina alone, focusing on central and northern regions. Organizers emphasize that prevention is most effective when many groups collaborate, social organizations, businesses, governments, schools, and healthcare teams, to ensure long-term impact.
They believe that by turning knowledge into daily practices and building strong local networks, communities can better protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses. The campaign expects an increase in dengue cases due to the El Niño weather phenomenon and is reinforcing vaccine efforts.
