A great initiative for the general public set up by the Association ciotadenne (Acca) once morest aedes albopictus at the Cinéma l’Eden in La Ciotat.
Taking advantage of the status of La Ciotat as the cradle of cinema, the Acca, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Paca and their partners organized, on April 8, a thematic evening with the screening of films on the tiger mosquito and the diseases transmitted, followed by a conference-debate attended by: an entomologist from the Research Institute for Development, an epidemiologist from Public Health France, a sanitary engineer from ARS Paca, an architect-urban planner, a patient with chikungunya and her doctor as well as an elected official from the town hall in charge of the environment. This event brought together a hundred inhabitants who were able to ask their questions to the experts present and obtain concrete answers.
The ARS encourages the organization of this type of event, which makes it possible for a large public to understand the interest of collective social mobilization to eliminate all breeding sites and adult mosquitoes.
New on the side of fun and educational activities: “Mouskit” developed by the Regional Committee for Health Education (Cres).
The Mouskit is an educational kit which aims to improve the knowledge of 9-15 year olds on the tiger mosquito and to promote individual and collective behavior, in a fun and scientific approach.
Offered as a website since 2020, http://www.mouskit.org is aimed at teachers (schools and colleges), facilitators, community agents… to whom it offers “turnkey” tools to set up interventions, within the framework of school programs, extracurricular activity times, educational activities, etc. The educational tool is currently being adapted for the public of leisure centers in the form of a big game for 8/12 year olds, “the Mouskit rally: better know the tiger mosquito to better prevent”. Through manipulations, riddles, quizzes, experiments, collages, interactions… the children are invited, in two hours, to discover the life cycle of the mosquito, the vector risks, the preventive measures, but also the interest of the mosquito for the environment. For facilitators, each test includes a sheet with the knowledge to be transmitted, the course of the animation, the necessary equipment and the methods of validating knowledge.
A pre-test of the rally is scheduled for May 25, 2022 by the Var partners, in a leisure center in La Garde committed to a sustainable development approach.
The project is funded by ARS Paca and depending on the results of the evaluations, it might be developed and offered more widely as part of activities in leisure centers or following school.