Magpale backs province's intensified drive vs dengue

CEBU, Philippines - Board Member Agnes Magpale is backing the call of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for a province-wide intensified campaign against dengue.

In a resolution, Magpale is calling on local government units to arrive at concrete action plans to combat the surge of dengue here.

“In as much as this mosquito-carrying disease is fatal, there is a serious and urgent need to map-out comprehensive strategies to put a stop to the rising trend of dengue cases”, Magpale said in a resolution.

Magpale said the interest of public health and the preservation of human life is incumbent upon the municipal and city officials, including protecting their constituents from life-threatening diseases like dengue.

Garcia earlier designated Board Member Sergio Restauro, himself a doctor, and chairman of the Board’s committee on public health, to lead the province-wide campaign against dengue.

Restauro is expected to conduct lectures on dengue prevention in local government units across the province, in coordination with the Integrated Provincial Health Office.

Garcia admitted that IPHO had not considered the number of dengue cases here alarming until health officials warned current statistics on dengue victims have the potential to bring the situation to such level.

Garcia said Capitol will purchase close to P1million worth of equipment and chemicals to be used in the intensified campaign. 

The number of dengue cases nationwide has already reached 54,659 this year or 75 percent higher compared to last year’s figures. Health authorities have also said there were 429 dengue-related deaths recorded nationwide since January.

Department of Education Secretary Armin Luistro has advised students of various public schools to help clean their surroundings and to wear long sleeves as one way to prevent them from being bitten by dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona, for his part, advised the public, through the agency’s official website, that the most effective way to fight dengue is by practicing the so-called 4-S strategy – search and destroy, self-protective measures, seek early treatment and say no to indiscriminate fogging.

Dengue is a disease more common during rainy season and affects mostly those aged from one to 20 years old.   (FREEMAN NEWS)