Taylor's University Launches BOLEH Programme To Tackle Dengue In B40 Communities

PETALING JAYA, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- Taylor's University has introduced the B40 Community Organising Local Solutions for Environmental Health (BOLEH) Programme, a health initiative aimed at combating the increasing cases of dengue.

Director of Impact Lab Digital Health and Medical Advancement at Taylor's University Prof Dr Chong Pei Pei said the six months programme seeks to raise awareness and provide solutions to mitigate the spread of the disease in high-risk areas.

“While the government has implemented several effective initiatives and programmes to combat dengue, the number of cases remains a concern, particularly within the B40 community due to their living environments. To complement these efforts, we are launching this initiative in collaboration with Taylor's Education Sdn Bhd, Prudence Foundation, Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad and, Prudential BSN Takaful and Eastspring Investment.

“This programme will take a multi-faceted approach such as educational awareness, vector control and community mobilisation to further enhance the fight against dengue,” she told Bernama after the launch of the BOLEH Programme at Taylor's University, here on Wednesday.

The event was also attended by representatives from Lembah Pantai People's Housing Project (PPR), Prudential, BOLEH Project Leader Dr Jo Ann Andoy Galvan as well as academics from Taylor's University.

Aside from the involvement of local residents and authorities, Chong noted that Taylor's University students will also play a pivotal role in supporting and driving this initiative.

The programme will also feature a series of community activities, including a gotong royong, poster competitions, and cleanliness contests with participation from all stakeholders, including university staff, students, PPR residents, and volunteers.

Inspired by the Malay term “Boleh”, which means “can” or “possible,” the aim is to engage PPR communities by adopting the term as a rallying call to foster community support. PPR Lembah Pantai has been chosen as the pilot community, as Taylor’s have partnered with this community through their Community Medicine projects for more than eight years.

Taylor’s envision replicating this pilot project across multiple B40 communities, particularly within PPR housing areas, to create a sustainable model for improving environmental health.

-- BERNAMA