CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III has urged the public not to wait for the province-wide simultaneous cleanup next month to combat mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and start cleaning their surroundings now.
The governor said people should take the initiative to clean their surroundings and make it a habit as part of safety measures not to be infected by dengue.
“Kining mga basura diha, tubig diha, nga kuanan og mosquitos, instinct na nga manglimpyo sa atong tungkaran,” Davide said.
He is set to discuss the plan to conduct a province-wide simultaneous cleanup drive with Cebu’s mayors during today’s Provincial Development Council meeting.
The cleanup is set for the first week of November, with different sectors, including schools and religious groups, being encouraged to participate.
The province is also set to use P1.5 to P1.6 million of its quick response fund to purchase larvicides, misting machines, and other materials that will be used to combat dengue
This, as local health authorities noted that most of those infected with dengue are aged 10 years old or below, as they warned parents and guardians to check on their children always and seek medical help early if symptoms of dengue are observed.
Department of Health-7 Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Chief Cimafranca told The FREEMAN that their records showed that the most affected are the children since they do not know what best precautions to make, which is why they need much guidance from adults.
The number of dengue cases in Cebu has already reached 17,947 cases, with 144 deaths, as recorded from January 1 to October 15 this year.
It also noted that this figure is actually 114 percent higher compared to the same period of last year with only 8,394 cases and 49 deaths.
Majority of dengue cases in the region were in Cebu City with 1,756 cases and 12 deaths; followed by Mandaue City, 554 cases and 10 deaths; and Toledo City with 481 cases and three deaths.
And with 322 cases and five deaths, the number of dengue cases in Talisay City are not also that far behind.
Dr. Lino Alanzado, city health officer, said Talisay actually ranked eighth among Cebu towns and cities with dengue incidents, with Mohon as the barangay with the most number of cases.
He requested City Councilor Richard Francis Aznar, committee on Health chairman, to convince Mayor Eduardo Gullas to make the city’s 20 dengue task force personnel permanent instead of being co-terminus
“Para dili na ta magsige og train sa mga tawo (when there is a new administration),” Alanzado said.
Aznar, on the other hand, urged his constituents to continue the “search and destroy operations” as a dengue deterrent especially now that is the rainy season already.
“Mao man gyud ni siya ang pinaka-effective, mao na padayon ta sa pag-awhag sa mga katawhan ang pagpanglimpyo,” he said.
Aznar added that they are now processing the activation of the task force.
Meanwhile, Dr. Alma Corpin, Cebu City Health Department officer-in-charge, said children below 10 years old are very playful and often they are the ones who go to secluded areas, which is why they are most prone to mosquito bites.
She confirmed that two more deaths have been recorded in Cebu City after two children from Barangay Luz were reported to have died due to dengue, which the families suspected that the children got in their school.
One of the victims was Eloisa Melecio, six, of Sitio San Vicente, Barangay Luz and a Grade 1 student of the barangay’s public elementary school.
Fe Letecia Pelago, Eloisa’s grandmother, said they are convinced she got bitten by a mosquito in school as the little girl also helps her parents at the night high school canteen.
“Halos tanan oras niini naa sa eskwelahan kay motabang sa iyang ginikanan. Unya diri sa amoang balay wala may stagnant kay running water man ang kanal,” Pelago said.
She said that when Eloisa developed fever, they brought her to the barangay health center for a complete blood count but the result showed she was okay so they went back home. A few days after, however, Eloisa developed skin rash, prompting her family to bring her to the hospital. But by then it was too late.
Pelago said that before her granddaughter got sick, they remembered that she got bitten by mosquitoes while looking for her bag at school.
“Nangita siya sa iyang bag, sa may stage, ug pag-uli niini nakita namo naa siya’y daghang pinaakan sa lamok. Wala lang usab namo hatagi og pagtagad hangtod naghilanat,” she said.
“Bibo kaayo siya bisan nasakit na siya, ug wala gayud siya nagbilin namo og kasakit hangtod sa iyang kamatayon, diin sige lang ni’g duwa bisan kritikal na siya. Sa wala pa kini namatay nangayo kini og tubig kay moinom ug akong giingnan nga dili man pwede ug niingon pa kini nako wala ka kwarta Nay naa man ko kwarta naa ni mama palit kaw,” Pelago said.
The second child was Mary Niña Dicdican, five, a Kinder 2 student from Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz.
Her mother, Manelyn, also believes her daughter got dengue in school. “Nagtuo ko sa eskwelahan gyud kay kung diri pa sa amoa daghan untang namatay,” she said.
Before one enters Sitio Zapatera, however, the barangay has placed a tarpaulin signage that says “Beware!! ! You are Entering a Dengue Zone.”
Luz Elementary School principal Charito Velasco, on the other hand, said they were not remiss in ensuring that their school is not a breeding place for mosquitos.
“Wala gyud mi nagpabaya sa among tulunghaan tungod kay buntag, udto ug hapon aduna gyud miy pagpanglimpyo ug duna pay senimana ug binuwan kuyog sa mga ginikanan,” she said. She admitted, though, that since June, the school already have 47 students infected with dengue with two deaths.
Luz Barangay Captain Jerome Pagados said that since he is not an ally of the mayor, they tapped the help of the private sector in the use of larvicides to fight dengue in the community, including the school.
He, too, appealed for the people to clean their surroundings and to clothe their children with garments that cover most areas of their body.
He appealed for City Hall for help, saying the dengue problem is already beyond political affiliation.
“Akong hangyo nga magtinabangay ug ihikling ang pamolitika alang sa kaayohan sa katawhan ilabi na niining outbreak sa dengue, kay andam man mi motabang ug dili mobabag,” he said. — Le Phyllis F. Antojado, May B. Miasco , Rowena D. Capistrano, Iris Mariani B. Algabre (FREEMAN)