MANKAYAN, Benguet – The municipal government recorded some 133 dengue cases in the municipality last year that caused health authorities to intensify the information and education campaign to remind residents to be extra careful on the possible surge of similar cases during the rainy season.
Mayor Frenzel A. Ayong stated that the municipal government should not focus its attention on the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as there are similar pressing concerns, such as dengue and other life-threatening illnesses, to ensure people will be spared from contracting such diseases.
Based on the data from the municipal health office, dengue cases in the municipality peaked during the rainy season, in July with 35 cases, June – 35 cases and August – 24 cases.
The municipal chief executive claimed that concerned government agencies and the local government had been pre-occupied in the execution of their anti-COVID-19 response over the past 22 months that caused some of their priority programs, projects and activities to be sidelined.
However, he pointed out that it is time that the focus of the government should be on how to effectively and efficiently roll out the sidelined programs, projects and activities to help in paving the way for the gradual and safe revival of the numerous activities of the people under a better normal situation amidst the threat of surge in COVID-19 cases triggered by the more infectious and more transmissible Omicron variant.
According to him, people must ensure that the breeding ground of dengue carrying mosquitoes in their homes and backyards should be given attention to prevent the possible multiplication of the mosquitoes that could result in an outbreak in dengue cases so as not aggravate the ongoing health crisis.
He emphasized that residents must prevent the possible increase in dengue cases while complying with the implementation of the minimum public health standards to prevent them from aggravating the prevailing difficult situation and to allow them to gradually and safely recover from the serious negative impact of the pandemic, especially to their established employment, economic activities and sources of livelihood.
The mayor called on the residents to actively participate in the conduct of information and education campaign by the members of the local government’s IEC teams, health authorities and barangay officials so that they will be well informed on the prevailing situation in the municipality, especially on life-threatening illnesses that could compromise their health condition once they contract the same through various means.
He admitted that concerned government agencies and the local government cannot do all things right at the same time as what is needed is for the utmost cooperation of the people to the policies that are being implemented to avoid the occurrence of untoward incidents that may affect their health and safety, especially when there are outbreaks in illnesses that may go out of the control of the authorities due to the magnitude of the cases.
