On Monday, November 27, 2023, the Faculty of Health Science hosted a training session titled “Dengue Fever Awareness Campaign in Bossaso, Puntland State, Somalia.” The goal was to train participants on how to deal with the current outbreak of the Dengue Fever while also preparing them to be advocates for the awareness of this infection.
The participants were educated on the dangers of the infection and how it is a viral infection that impacts human health in a variety of ways. They were educated about how the infection is transmitted, its signs and symptoms, clinical presentations, and the factors that contribute to the virus’s propagation.
Because the Dengue Fever is serious and can result in life-threatening complications, the audience was also taught about the infection control, prevention, and management. Dengue fever was stressed as a global health problem that affects over half of the world’s population, causing millions of infections and thousands of deaths each year. As such, extensive public education would be required to prepare the population of Bossaso to deal with the infection before it becomes severe.
Students from the different departments of the Faculty of Health Sciences were targeted. They were chosen based on their ability and willingness to take on more responsibilities for promoting awareness.
This training would be ongoing in order to reach nearly all students in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Red Sea University would lead awareness initiatives in the town of Bossaso. Due of the threat of the disease, other universities may potentially join the campaign.