Villagers of Sawani in Naitasiri have launched a monthly clean-up campaign after five residents were struck with dengue fever — a scare that nearly turned fatal.
Village headman Sekove Balemila said the initiative began two weeks ago after a dengue outbreak left five locals seriously ill.
“Five villagers almost lost their lives to dengue which is why we acted and held a clean-up campaign two weeks ago. We thoroughly cleaned out the village,” Mr Balemila said.
“We put on our gloves, collected all the rubbish, and placed it in the two bins provided by the Ministry of Health.
“So now we have decided to hold monthly clean-up campaigns in the village.”
Mr Balemila said the effort was not only aimed at protecting health but also at preserving the village’s appeal to visitors.
“We have tourists coming in every month, so this will ensure that the village is kept clean,” he said.
“We will continue working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environment to keep our village clean and safe for our health.”
