malaysiangLINGAYEN: The Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Pangasinan hired additional health workers, distributed treated mosquito nets, and appealed for massive clean-up drives to help curb the rise in dengue cases in the province which jumped by 98 percent from January 1 to August 19 this year compared to the same period last year.
Provincial health officer Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman, during the question hour at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Monday, said the PHO has recorded 2,816 dengue cases during the said period with 17 mortalities against the 1,421 cases with 14 deaths in 2023.
De Guzman said there were clustered cases in localities in the first, second, and third districts of the province based on their monitoring.
The highest number of cases were recorded in Lingayen, followed by Bayambang, San Carlos City, Urbiztondo, Bugallon, Basista, Bolinao, Mangatarem, Binmaley, and Calasiao towns.
De Guzman said the surge in mortality due to dengue occurred between June13 and August 5, coinciding with the onset
of the rainy season and a typhoon.
The youngest was an eight-month-old child and the oldest was a 56-year-old individual, she said.
“We have checked the environment where the highest number of cases were recorded and found that there was stagnant water in receptacles, big trees with huge leaves, and plastic containers that could be breeding places for mosquitoes,” she said.
De Guzman said they were advocating the 4S, which stands for search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, seek early consultation, self-protection measures, and support spraying or fogging in areas with clustered cases.
A team focusing on dengue control was also formed, she reported.
The PHO, she said, is also urging local government units, barangay officials, and the whole community to conduct a massive clean-up drive and get rid of mosquito-breeding grounds.
She said some PHP456,000 was allocated to purchase chemicals for misting or fogging.
Meanwhile, Provincial Hospital Management Services Office medical officer Dr. Racquel Ogoy
said they have hired 50 additional personnel, including doctors, medical technicians, nurses, and nursing aides among others.
“Starting August when we saw dramatic increase, we hired human resource for health focus on relatively high dengue cases,” she said, adding that the additional health workers were deployed in the district hospitals of Bayambang, Mangatarem, and Urdaneta City, and in Pangasinan Provincial Hospital.
“We advocate early testing. When we see that patients have dengue symptoms, then they need further follow up, like blood tests, then send to the hospital for further evaluation,” she said.
Among the warning signs for dengue include high-grade fever for at least three days, vomiting, abdominal pain, and shortness of breath.
The PHO also conducts blood donation drives.
Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino, in an interview, said the council is prepared to act upon the request of the PHO for possible supplementary funding for anti-dengue measures if the need arises.
Source: Philippines News A
gency
