Zambo evacuees afflicted with various ailments

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Health Secretary Enrique Ona has given assurance of his support after the city health office reported that more than 16,000 evacuees still temporarily staying at the sports stadium have been afflicted with various illnesses. 

Ona personally visited the Joaquin F. Enriquez Sports Complex on Tuesday and assessed the conditions of more than 40,000 evacuees, who have been staying there for more than a month since the siege of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels loyal to Nur Misuari.

Ona said the DOH has placed on standby its personnel, with the needed medicine, to assist the city health office in addressing the health conditions of the evacuees.

Dr. Rodeline Agbulos, city health officer, said evacuees are mostly suffering from acute respiratory ailment, fever, diarrhea, skin disorders, hypertension, and measles.

He said they have listed 2,000 evacuees, mostly children, suffering from diarrhea. Agbulos said his health team is conducting regular sanitary inspection and immunization for children at the sports complex.

Ona also visited the Zamboanga City Medical Center to check on the damage it incurred during the hostilities between Misuari’s followers and government forces.

The government hospital is just near Sitio Lustre in Barangay Sta. Catalina, which was among the villages hardest hit by the firefight.

Ona said the hospital incurred minor damage and would be fully operational in the coming days.