The Sabah Health Department has introduced a programme, ''1House 1Champion'' to curb the spread of dengue in the state.

Its director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi said the programme entailed appointing one member of a selected household to educate and instill awareness among his or her family on the importance of keeping the surrounding of their house clean.

"All of us can be champions in preventing the spread of diseases in the family. We don''t have to wait for outsiders to come to our house to tell us about the importance of cleanliness inside and outside our house," she told reporters after launching the Tuaran Hospital family day celebration here Wednesday.

According to her, the number of dengue cases in the state this year as at Saturday (May 6) was 708, compared to 1,143 within the same period last year. -- Bernama