BAGUIO CITY – Health authorities embarked on an aggressive anti-dengue campaign citywide amidst the reduction of reported dengue fever cases in time for the celebration of ASEAN Dengue Day recently.
With the theme, “Eskwelahan,simbahan, barangay, palengke at buong komunidad, sama-sama nating sugpuin ang dengue,” Dr. Rowena Galpo, city health services officer, cited the importance of information dissemination from the proper authorities from the health departments of the government to the community officials and community people considering that dengue fever has become a year-round illness.
Attesting to the theme are the activities that were made possible through the partnership of the Department of Health with the community and barangay officials. Oplan Taob, Oplan Yugyog, clean-up drive, also known as the process of search and destroy, and also the donation of treated curtains to public schools that have recorded the most number of dengue cases, to name a few.
As for the dengue situation in Baguio, Galpo reported a 1% decrease in dengue fever cases this year compared to the number of cases during the same period last year. From January 1 up to the present, there were only 81 reported dengue cases with no reported death, compared to the same period last year where there were 82 dengue fever cases with 1 reported death.
From January to the middle of June 2011, the city health department was able to record 98 dengue fever cases before increasing to 147 cases in the same period of 2012 and surged to 373 cases for the same period in 2013.
Furthermore, it was reported by health officials that the peak season of dengue starts from the last week of May until October, but now, the peak season is year round. Regarding the preparedness of the community, health officials reiterated the preventive measures that the community could practice. One of which is the process of STOP, LOOK and LISTEN. Stop at 4pm. Look for possible breeding sites of dengue mosquitos and destroy them (search and destroy). Lastly, listen for further announcements from authorities on additional measures to be undertaken to rid their homes and communities of the breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Aside form the dengue awareness, other events associated with the month of June were discussed during the event. These are: No Smoking (in the workplace) campaign, National Rabies Awareness, Safe Kids, National Tuberculosis (TB) Day and also the present health threat, the viral MERS-COV.
