Lim acts on jail diseases

Interior and Local Government Secretary Alfredo Lim ordered yesterday the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to take appropriate measures to prevent the outbreak of diseases in jails, particularly in Manila. "Take the necessary steps to stop the outbreak of water-borne diseases particularly leptospirosis," Lim told BJMP director Aquilino Jacob in a memorandum. Lim issued the directive following reports that leptospirosis, a water-borne disease, claimed the life of Manila City Jail inmate Eduardo de Vera last Friday. It was also gathered that some detention cells remain flooded. Leptospirosis is a deadly wet season disease contracted by people with open wounds wading through floodwaters contaminated with urine and feces of rodents. Aside from De Vera, who was rushed to and died at the San Lazaro Hospital after complaining of recurring high fever, severe headache and back and leg pains, a number of inmates are also suffering from various diseases because of their exposure to floodwaters inside detention cells. – Cecille Suerte Felipe