Army Presence Diminishes Refusal to Entry in Houses, say Health Agents

02/17/2016 - 09h57

Behind the house curtains, Nancy Wolf, 81, a retired teacher, notices the movement in front of her gate. A man announces he works for the city hall in an action against the mosquito Aedes aegypti.

She hesitates a bit, but looks at the two Army soldiers in uniforms accompanying the health agent and allows them to enter her home.

	Alexandre Gondim/JC Imagem/Folhapress
	Without the soldiers, people are afraid

"I don´t open the door for anyone. We get apprehensive. I felt safer just because of the Army," says Nancy, who lives in Santana neighborhood. Part of the northern district of São Paulo underwent an operation to hunt down the Aedes larvae, promoted by the city hall and the Army.

Mauricio Tavares, a city hall endemic disease control agent, confirms that the Army's presence decreases the number of owners who refuse to open their homes to inspections. "Without the soldiers, people are afraid. It's more complicated getting them to trust us."

While searching for mosquito breeding sites, Tavares gives the owners tips about prevention against dengue, chikungunya and zika. The soldiers accompanying the work speak little or assist in searches for larvae. At best, they deliver information pamphlets.

One of the soldiers explains that the function of the Army is "just to be with the municipality´s agents" so people open their houses.

Translated by MARINA DELLA VALLE
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