City urged to prepare vs dengue

CEBU, Philippines — The City Council last week urged the Cebu City Government to beef up measures against the possible rise of dengue cases, with the onset of the rainy season.

Upon the motions of City Councilors Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa and Rey Gealon, the body, in particular, urged the City Health Department (CHD) to submit a report on the measures it is implementing to mitigate the problem.

Citing data from the Department of Health (DOH)-7, Abellanosa said that the dry spell brought about by the El Ni o phenomenon resulted in the rise of dengue cases by as much as 95 percent (409 cases) in the first five months of 2024.

This is because of people stocking up water in several containers that are left without covers.

Dengue cases will possibly be more prevalent with the advent of La Ni a, which will bring heavy rainfall and severe flood, creating perfect conditions for mosquitoes to thrive and spread the much-dreaded dengue virus,  Abellanosa said.

In the same session, the council also approved Gealon s resolution requesting the barangay officials, through the Association of Barangay Councils, to issue warnings against  WILD  (Water- and food-borne diseases, Influenza, Leptospirosis, and Dengue) diseases for the public to take precautions and effectively prevent the spread of these diseases.

In particular, he identified diarrhea and typhoid fever, which may be caused by contaminated food and water due to natural events such as flooding and typhoons, as among the diseases to watch out for.

Gealon highlighted the importance of the participation by the barangays, which serve as the implementing units of government policies and plans.

 It is crucial that people are informed on WILD diseases in order for them to take precautions and effectively prevent the spread of these diseases,  he said.

The City Council likewise asked the CHD to conduct  an information, education, and communication campaign to increase public awareness, prevention, and control of the spread of dengue cases in Cebu City .

Meanwhile, DOH-7 marked the culmination of June as  Dengue Awareness Month  with the first  Central Visayas Dengue Scientific Forum , which laid down the "Enhanced 4S Strategy" to strengthen anti-dengue efforts and address the surge in dengue cases in the region.

The 4S strategy components are  Search and destroy breeding sites; Self-protection measures, such as wearing long sleeves and using insect repellents; Seeking early consultation for fever lasting more than two days; and Support fogging/spraying exclusively in hotspot areas where a surge in dengue cases has been reported .

This year, the Philippines has become the country with the highest number of dengue-related deaths in the Western Pacific Region.

In particular, the country recorded 70,498 dengue cases and 197 deaths, including 6,968 cases and 18 deaths in Central Visayas.

With this alarming data, Dr. Vicente Belizario Jr., former SEAMEO TROPMED Regional Centre for Public Health director, said focus should be on protecting and enhancing the health of populations, from local communities to global regions, through education, promotion of a healthy lifestyle, research on disease and injury prevention, and management of infectious diseases.

"We are challenged, and when we are faced with challenges, we always pause and think 'what else can we do?'. It s not enough to say, 'we ve been doing everything'. In public health, we try to find solutions," he said.

Belizario said that clinical medicine could not fully help mitigate the effects of dengue in the community, as it should just be a part of the overall package of public health.

"What is going to help solve dengue in this region? Is it just doctors doing diagnosis and treatment? It is not going to finish (the job) because that is clinical medicine. You help each person one at a time. What do you need to do when dengue is a big issue in the community? It has to be public health," he said.

He stated that the forum they were doing is a representation of what public health is all about, as it is a way to get closer to the targets for combating dengue. The targets include reducing the morbidity and mortality rates.

"It is not DOH alone, it is not the government alone, it is not the clinicians alone. We are a decentralized health system," Belizario said.

He said the  Public Health Approach  covers the following areas, which serve as an enhanced '4s strategy': Surveillance, Risk Factor Identification, Intervention Evaluation, and Implementation.

Belizario stated that these four areas deserve to be researched, as problems, such as on dengue control and prevention, cannot progress without data emanating from research.

"Research and public health are so closely intertwined. Hindi mo sha pwedeng hiwalayin. There is no public health and discipline without research and data," he said.

"We can keep on doing the 4s strategy year and year out, but I think we still need to do more than that. We need to do more Science Technology and Innovation," he added.

Additionally, he said that other than the 4s Strategy, the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Deployments can also effectively help control dengue in the Philippines and in the region.

SIT is a type of birth control for insects, while Wolbachia is a species that infects insects that carry dengue.

"Beyond 4s strategy, these new technologies emanating from Science technology will need to be considered," he said.

Furthermore, Dr. Ronald Jarvik Buscato, DOH-7 Center for Health Development Medical Officer IV, said that responding to the dengue outbreak is never easy.

"It is a very long and tedious process involving not just health care providers but also the community. Planning and preparedness is crucial. That is why we are in close coordination with our coordinators (in public health)," he said. (CEBU NEWS)