Bong Go calls for action vs dengue

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go is asking Filipinos to be cautious in order to prevent dengue at home and in the community as the rainy season for this year starts.

“The dengue alert issued by the Department of Health (DOH) last Monday was meant to raise awareness among our people. We must remain safe and vigilant,” Go said.

He urged Filipinos to immediately consult with health professionals once they feel the symptoms of dengue, saying there is enough medicine and budget from the government.

Go said it is the duty of the government to look after the welfare of its people, especially in health issues.

Earlier, the World Health Organization urged Southeast Asian countries to adopt measures that would prevent the spread of dengue and deaths from the disease.

Go urged the public to destroy the breeding sites of aedes aegypti, the dengue-carrying mosquito.

He said the DOH has P193.34 million in medical assistance for indigent patients and 224 health personnel to help treat the sick.

Go has filed Senate Bill 199, which seeks to institutionalize the Malasakit Centers in DOH, Department of National Defense, local government units and special care units in hospitals nationwide.

Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop that helps poor Filipinos seek medical and financial assistance from all government agencies.

At present, the country has 37 Malasakit Centers.

Although the DOH clarified that there is no dengue epidemic in the country, the Philippines still has thousands of suspected cases nationwide.

In the first 20 weeks of the year, there were 77,040 suspected dengue cases reported with 328 deaths.