BAGUIO CITY – The public was recently warned by health authorities in the region against the sudden increase in water and food-borne diseases during the Yuletide season because of the expected conduct of numerous gatherings that serve assorted food.
Dra. Amelita M. Pangilinan, assistant regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of Health (DOH-CAR), said that when left over food is not refrigerated and has a foul odor, people should not attempt to eat the food and instead appropriately dispose such food to prevent them from contracting illnesses that will spoil their merry-making.
“We also appeal to the public not to take in fatty and sweet foods that will be served them in the various occasions to help the them get rid of the dreaded cardio-vascular and other cold weather illnesses that will surely spoil their merry-making,” Pangilinan stressed.
The DOH-CAR official underscored the importance of keeping oneself healthy by eating the right kind of food, having adequate exercise and increasing their resistance for them to be able to shy away from the prevalent illnesses during the Yuletide season.
According to her, those wanting to travel in different places to enjoy the Yuletide season will have to make sure of the road worthiness of their vehicles to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that will compromise the safety of life and limb and for them to be able to enjoy their vacation.
Aside from the expected increase in cardio-vascular illnesses, the other prevalent illnesses during the Yuletide season include cough, colds, upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, bronchitis and food poisoning.
Pangilinan claimed the Yuletide season is the period of the year where there will be a lot of food to be served that will lead to the contraction of various illnesses that will compromise the health of the people that is why the public must take the necessary precautions in eating the food that will be served them so that they will enjoy the numerous gatherings organized by their relatives and friends.
She said similar advisories have been handed down by the concerned government agencies to guide the people in the celebration of the Yuletide season but because of the desire of the people to eat the different delicacies that are served them, then it is their health that suffers, thus, the need for them to seek medical consultations from health institutions in their respective places.
Pangilinan added the various government health institutions and health workers will be on alert during the Yuletide season not only to attend to the health needs of the public seeking consultations for their illnesses that they have acquired during the merrymakings but also to attend to the victims of firecracker-related incidents that affect the safety of life and limb.
She called on people with existing illnesses to take the necessary precautions in the taking in of food during the Yuletide season so as not to compromise their health condition to allow them to enjoy the celebrations and gatherings that they will attend for the remainder of the year and for them to sustain their health condition that will be carried over to the coming year.
By Dexter A. See
