Dr. Consorcia Quizon, manager of the DOH’s Infectious Diseases Surveillance and Control Program, said the "injury surveillance" is the first of its kind in the country although it has been done in Vietnam and Bangladesh.
In Vietnam, she said health authorities were surprised to find out that 10 to 15 percent of mortality (death) and morbidity (sickness) among children was caused by drowning.
"If that will be the case for us, that means we have to shift our resources because what we prioritize now are the diseases," she said.
The DOH hopes the surveillance results will be out next month.
Quizon said the surveillance began last October and will involve 90,000 households nationwide. Each household is given a 12-page questionnaire on the causes of illnesses and deaths among children below five years old.
At present, the children-related programs of the DOH focus on dengue fever, malaria, tetanus, diphtheria and polio, among other diseases.
Quizon said that should they find out that the incidence of drowning in the country is also high like Vietnam’s, there might be a need to come up with swimming programs and other preventive measures.
"Through this surveillance, we can establish baseline information on child-related mortality and morbidity. It will give us direction on policy-making. We will know what to prioritize," she said.