EU gives P5.7M to fight surge in dengue cases

MANILA, Philippines — The European Union will provide €100,000 or around P5.67 million in humanitarian aid to help communities most affected by the soaring number of dengue cases in the Philippines.

The funding is expected to benefit 300,000 individuals in CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Metro Manila and Western Visayas, EU said in a statement Friday. 

The assistance will support the Philippine Red Cross “in delivering crucial assistance through the strengthening of public health services such as the establishment of dengue emergency medical units or hospital extension wards at local government hospitals and the provision of nursing staff to respond to overwhelming dengue cases.”

It will also be used to clean and treat mosquito breeding grounds and enhance public awareness through health and promotion activities and information dissemination.

There were at least 130,463 dengue cases, including 561 deaths, since the beginning of the year.

In mid-July, the Department of Health declared a national dengue alert after five regions—CALABARZON, Bicol region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula—exceeded the epidemic threshold or the “level of occurrence of disease above which an urgent response is required.”

Even cases in MIMAROPA, Northern Mindanao, SOCCSKSARGEN and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are significantly higher than in previous years.

As the cases of the mosquito-borne disease continue to surge, Malacañang said it is open to make Dengvaxia available again if experts declare it to be effective in addressing the current situation.