Philippines - June is dengue awareness month in Baguio

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June is dengue awareness month in Baguio
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bag/2007/03/13/news/june.is.dengue.awareness.month.in.baguio.html​

ACTING Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. approved an ordinance declaring the month of June as dengue awareness month, with a P.5-million funding to be included in Baguio City's annual budget.

The main purpose is to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by and to prevent and control the spread of dengue, a viral disease spread by day-biting female mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

Dengue cases increase during the month of June, the start of rainy months, as mosquitoes naturally breed in waterlogged areas, thus Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia proposed the ordinance.

Statistics showed that incidents of fever in Baguio increased in the past five years and that dengue cases in 2006 jumped to more than double from the previous year.

Balajadia, in the ordinance, noted that dengue is an emerging disease of global concern and is considered as "a viral disease of public health concerns affecting mankind."

Efforts have been done to combat the disease, including Administrative Order (AO) 281 with the "Tepok Lamok-Dengue Sapok" program nationwide, with the observance of the four o'clock habit daily cleanup drive,

Balajadia added, as "the incidence commonly affects children causing anguish, pain and economic burden to their parents and the country."

As stated in the just-approved ordinance, dengue prevention will be a concerted effort by the Baguio City Government, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and the health, local government, education, public works and social welfare departments.

Each agency will have specific functions in the control and prevention of the disease, wherein the Department of Health (DOH) will undertake surveillance, monitoring and follow-up of dengue fever patients, and at the same time provide information and educational materials. The local government department, on the other hand, will assist in disseminating information through the barangays and will also organize barangay-based cleanups while the education department will incorporate information in their health education classes and maintain clean surroundings in school premises to protect the school-age children from the disease.

The public works department, through the ordinance, will maintain dry and clean surroundings in canals, streets and construction sites and provide proper drainage to prevent water stagnation, which may result in mosquito-breeding places.

The social welfare department and PIA will disseminate information through day care workers and mass media, respectively. They will also be responsible for referrals to the DOH if dengue cases are suspected.

Accordingly, color codes may be used in identifying surveillance cases in the barangays such as: white, no clustering of cases in an area; green, more than two cases observed in a barangay/s in a four-week period; yellow, an increase in the number of cases for two consecutive weeks in an area which may be considered as a hot spot; and red, increase in incidents, where number of cases is more than the expected range.

Dengue, a disease transmitted by a mosquito bite and could turn fatal if not properly diagnosed, is characterized by symptoms like fever with severe headache; muscular and joint pains; red rash which usually appear first on the lower limbs and chest and may spread to most parts of the body; easy bruising and bleeding from gums and nose; abdominal pain which may be a symptom for internal bleeding; rapid and weak pulse; difficulty in breathing; and cold and clammy skin.

In all cases, immediate hospital care is needed, especially if other deaths of undetermined cause are known in the vicinity where patient resides.

The ordinance will form part of the health services of the City Health Department. (JF)