Diseases spreading in flooded areas - DOH

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday that the continuous flooding in areas recently affected by typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” is causing the proliferation of typhoon-related diseases such as leptospirosis and pulmonary infections.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has placed the combined death toll from the two typhoons at 90, with 78 people injured, mostly in the northern parts of Luzon.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said that for the past six days, the DOH has recorded five suspected leptospirosis cases and 3,600 respiratory diseases in Bulacan and has also monitored about 600 cases of diarrhea, aside from rising incidence of skin diseases among evacuees.

Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said government health authorities are now verifying reports of one fatality due to leptospirosis from Central Luzon.

Ona advised residents from flood-affected areas to watch out for signs and symptoms of leptospirosis and to seek immediate medical treatment.

From January to Sept. 24, the DOH has recorded 2,601 cases of leptospirosis nationwide, almost 200 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

“The rains are not yet over and many areas are still flooded because of the recent typhoons so we are reiterating our advice for people, especially those who have open wounds and exposed to floods, to go to the nearest hospital for checkup,” Ona said.

To avoid further spread of leptospirosis, the DOH is now giving out free antibiotics as a preventive treatment among flood-affected residents in Central Luzon.

The DOH has already deployed 54 medical teams from different government hospitals to render medical treatment and assess the condition in the evacuation centers in Bulacan and Pampanga.

Health authorities admitted that incidence of leptospirosis and other typhoon-related diseases could still surge in Central Luzon until the flood has fully subsided.

Ona said the DOH regional office in Central Luzon already provided water disinfectants in areas without potable water supply.

“We are also mobilizing nurses for vaccination and conducting health education activities,” he said, giving assurance that the government is on top of the situation and that the DOH is exerting all efforts to help those affected by the typhoons.

According to Ona, the two typhoons damaged 43 government health facilities amounting to P232 million, aside from destroying P65-million worth of medical equipment.

Of the 43 medical facilities, Ona said, two district hospitals in Calumpit and Hagonoy have closed down after being submerged in floods for a week.

As this developed, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has released over P31 million for emergency employment of residents in five typhoon-affected regions.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the fund would be used to pay for the salaries of workers to be employed to do rehabilitation work, specifically the clearing, cleaning, and de-clogging of drainage and other small infrastructure in typhoon-affected communities.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, on the other hand, said government social workers have started conducting critical stress debriefing for the victims of the two typhoons.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) is a process that prevents or limits the development of post-traumatic stress in people exposed to critical incidents, Soliman said.

The DSWD also reported that it has provided P6.73 million for the victims of typhoon Quiel, and prepositioned some P16.49 million in standby funds and P22.12 million in relief supplies to Regions 1, 2, 3 and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

As of 6 a.m. yesterday, Soliman said a total of 125 evacuation centers remain open, serving 8,906 families affected by typhoon Quiel, while the agency also continues to provide assistance to 30,467 families outside the evacuation centers. 

But the government is not alone in its effort to reach out to victims of flooding.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church and civic groups in the province of Nueva Ecija have joined in the relief effort.

In Pampanga, Gov. Lilia Pineda met with representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Food Program (WFP), MERLIN, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) the other day.

Pineda informed the foreign representatives that six Pampanga towns, namely Candaba, San Luis, Macabebe, Masantol, San Simon, and Apalit, have remained flooded and are usually flooding during the rainy season. At least 47,000 families are affected in these areas.

Damage surpasses P10-billion mark

The amount of property damaged by typhoon Pedring has ballooned to P12.34 billion yesterday, surpassing the P10.9 billion sustained during the height of tropical storm “Ondoy” in 2009.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the typhoon destroyed P10.83 billion in crops, livestock and fisheries and P1.51 billion in infrastructure.

Central Luzon sustained the largest amount of property damage at P9.836 billion.

Property damage in Metro Manila hit P124.35 million while that of Ilocos and Cagayan Valley reached P20.46 million and P421.76 million, respectively.

Earlier, regional civil defense offices reported to the NDRRMC that some local governments had failed to conduct evacuation before the typhoon hit their respective areas.

In Central Luzon, disaster management officials said some people preferred to stay in their homes than to be rescued or brought to evacuation centers, some of which lack facilities.

Lawmakers seek new measures

At the House of Representatives, Cebu Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing filed earlier this week House Bill 5385 or the National Dam Safety Act of 2011, which seeks to “provide compensation for the loss of life and property of people adversely affected by the release of water from dams or reservoirs.”

The measure also proposed the creation of a National Dam and Safety Review Board, which will oversee, monitor and inspect the conditions of all dams in the country and come up with measures to mitigate the effects of releasing water from dams or reservoirs during heavy rain and typhoon.

Under the proposed measure, in case of death of an individual, his or her family is entitled to receive P50,000. In case of physical, emotional or psychological injuries, the cost of hospitalization and other related damage shall be shouldered by the government.

The victims can also claim compensation for damage to their properties.

Bacolod City Rep. Anthony Golez, on the other hand, filed a bill seeking to regulate donations of medicine, food products and similar items being given by the private sector to ensure public safety.

Golez, a doctor and currently vice-chairman of the House committee on health, said the bill intends to make sure that all donations will be safe for consumption and will reach the intended recipients.

At the Senate, Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. filed Senate Resolution 616 directing the Senate committees on climate change, energy, environment and natural resources, as well as his public works committee, to conduct an investigation on the natural disaster preparedness and readiness of NDRRMC.

He said the Senate inquiry must be wide-ranging and should tackle every aspect of disaster risk reduction and management, including NDRRMC’s pre-disaster strategy.

Revilla earlier urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to make sure that new, reconstructed and repaired infrastructure are built with high standard materials that can withstand the impact of climate change.

Role of IT in disaster risk reduction management

Vice President Jejomar Binay, speaking at the Conference on Innovative ICT, CIO and Natural Disasters at the De La Salle University on Thursday, asked IT (information technology) experts to maximize technology for disaster risk reduction management.

Binay also called for the immediate inclusion of the use of ICT in disaster management in the draft of the Philippine Government Action Plan for 2012, which President Aquino presented to the Open Government Partnership launching in New York last month.

He said research and development should not be a concern because the technology needed for this already exists.

“These technologies provide a channel for sending and receiving information thereby ensuring government response that is grounded on the needs and peculiarities of each area,” Binay said.

Meanwhile, Malacañang gave assurance yesterday that it could effectively handle any possible crisis an incoming typhoon could cause, as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported the presence of a low pressure area in eastern Visayas.

PAGASA warned of more flashfloods and landslides, as a result of more rains because of low pressure area that could likely turn into a new typhoon.

“That’s the reason why we have (Public Works and Highways) Secretary (Rogelio) Singson there, he will try to rationalize everything in case of flashfloods, and in case of releases of water from the dams. That’s something that he will work on with the National Water Resources Board,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a media briefing at the Palace.

He said the government has an accurate forecasting system in place enabling it to anticipate typhoons and effectively preposition important goods intended for affected communities. – With reports from Helen Flores, Ding Cervantes, Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero, Aurea Calica, Alexis Romero, Christina Mendez, Dino Balabo, Charlie Lagasca