Rio, November 25, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - On Saturday, minister of Health, Barjas Negri, kicked off National D (Dengue) Day saying he "expected the nationwide mobilization to be a success because everyone was heeding the call to action." Preliminary reports showed that thousands of volunteers joined the campaign with assistance from local authorities.

Negri appealed to the public, saying that the govenment is not able to examine the country's 50 million homes in order to eliminate aedes egypti breeding grounds. The National Health Foundation says that 90% of the mosquitoes are found in residences. (AB)