Aedeszero in action: the role of university extension fostering to social change against Arboviruses

Abstract

The AedesZero Extension Project, created in 2024, aims to mitigate the impacts of arboviruses in Rondonópolis-MT, by integrating teaching, research and extension. In 2025, its second edition expanded activities with a focus on social transformation and the integrated response to arboviruses, particularly in light of the significant increase in chikungunya cases in the municipality. Developed in the area covered by the Family Health Strategy (ESF) unit Jardim Sumaré, the project involves the participation of seven medical students, a master's student, an administrative technician and six professors from the Federal University of Rondonópolis. Grounded in student leadership, its main objectives include educating the population on the importance of vector control and disseminating prevention information through social media. To achieve these goals, several actions have been carried out, from a selection process to student training, planning meetings, strengthening the visual identity, expanding digital communication and in-person engagement with the community. Among these initiatives, two extension actions conducted at the ESF Jardim Sumaré and one at the Padre Lothar Sports Center stand out. The results demonstrate the project’s effectiveness in fostering community dialogue and strengthening social empowerment in the face of arboviruses, thereby contributing to their prevention and control. Thus, AedesZero is consolidated as a project with significant social impact, reaffirming the importance of university extension as a transformative practice.