3 typhoid patients from Tuburan still in hospital

CEBU, Philippines - A week after a minor outbreak of  typhoid fever was declared in Tuburan town, only three patients remain confined at the Tuburan District Hospital, regional health office reported yesterday.

Department of Health Central Visayas Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas said the Regional Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit said his office will continue to monitor the situation despite the development.

“Bisan tuod og tulo nalang ang admitted ug na control na nato ang sitwasyon, dili angay nga magkumpiyansa. Padayon ang atong monitoring sa maong lugar and nearby areas. Padayon sad atong assembly sa municipal and barangay level to increase awareness. We have trained key people to teach residents on how to do household chlorination,” Bernadas said.

As DOH-7 instituted household chlorination through tablets given for free in affected homes in Sitio Birhen sa Regla, Barangay Monte Alegre in Tuburan, Bernadas urged the local government unit to develop its water system through improved spring water source.

He reiterated their intention to have Tuburan enrolled in the Salin Tubig Program of the national government where a substantial amount of money will be downloaded from the Department of Interior and Local Government for the construction and improvement of water system for areas with no water districts.

DILG is the implementing agency of the said augmentation program, but Bernadas said that when Salin Tubig Program was started in 2007, it used to be under DOH.

“We have already expressed our intentions to strongly recommend Tuburan to be included in the program. Ato sad giawhag ang lokal nga kagamhanan nga ma-develop ang improved spring nga maoy water source sa maong area,” he said.

The regional health official also requested the LGUs to enact ordinance that restricts habitation within 100 meter from the water source to prevent contamination.

“Naghangyo sad ta sa mga local government units, dili lang sa Tuburan kun dili sa tanan nga maghimo’g ordinansa nga idili ang pagpuyo duol sa water source aron malikayan ang contamination. Kay kung naa man guy panimalay, chances are maka-increase ni sa chances nga masudlan og mga kagaw nga makadaot sa lawas sa tawo,” Bernadas explained.

He further suggested that a zoning ordinance also helped prevent indiscriminate construction of  homes in areas with no established safe water supply.

“Lisod kaayo kung tugotan nga magtukod og balay sa lugar nga wala’y ensaktong suplay sa tubig. Ini’g kadako na sa community, it becomes the burden of the government to look for proper water source,” Bernadas said. — (FREEMAN)