Gwangju Nam-gu (District Mayor Kim Byungnae) announced on the 12th that it will expand the scope of its 'Visiting Infectious Disease Prevention Education' program, previously operated for local senior centers, to include community child centers starting this year.
The Visiting Infectious Disease Prevention Education program has been conducted since last year to protect the health of seniors using local senior centers. This is because seniors are considered a high-risk group for infectious diseases and mainly spend their later years living collectively in these centers.
Last year, Nam-gu visited senior centers throughout the district to provide education on seasonal infectious diseases and prevention guidelines, and operated hands-on classes using handwashing view box equipment to lead efforts in preventing infectious diseases. The district also received positive feedback for distributing promotional materials on disease prevention and installing hand sanitizers in senior center restrooms.
Nam-gu decided to expand the program to include community child centers this year, as the initiative has contributed to raising awareness about infectious diseases and preventing their spread within the community.
In particular, it was noted that children also have weaker immunity and personal hygiene management skills, and that cases of chickenpox and pertussis in the district increased significantly last year compared to the previous year. The district determined that experiential education using audiovisual materials and the view box greatly helps prevent infectious diseases.
In fact, last year, the number of children of elementary school age or younger who contracted chickenpox and pertussis in the district was 111 and 40, respectively, which is an increase compared to 71 and 1 in 2023.
Last year, a total of 3,846 children from 62 facilities, including daycare centers and kindergartens, participated in personal hygiene management experiences through the free rental of handwashing view boxes.
A district official stated, "We plan to accept applications for experiential education from senior centers and community child centers and conduct related education until November," adding, "We will ensure that residents vulnerable to infectious diseases can enjoy a healthy life."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
