DOH beefs up drive vs gastroenteritis in Region 1

DAGUPAN CITY — To prevent a repeat of last year’s acute gastroenteritis epidemic that afflicted nearly 10,000 Pangasinenses, the Department of Health’s Region 1 office has intensified its campaign against the water-borne disease.

This, as 1,341 acute gastroenteritis cases have so far been reported in entire Ilocos region.

Gaylene Desesto, officer-in-charge of the DOH’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit based in San Fernando City, told The STAR in a phone interview that as of last Friday, there were 70 acute gastroenteritis cases in Ilocos Norte, three in Ilocos Sur, 88 in La Union and 1,180 in Pangasinan.

Acute gastroenteritis is caused by the intake of water and food possibly contaminated with the e. Coli bacteria, Desesto said. Victims experience watery bowels and excrete them about five times in a day.

Acute gastroenteritis cases swell during the rainy season, especially in August, Desesto said.

From May 28 to Dec. 31, 2004, there were 9,975 acute gastroenteritis cases in Pangasinan.

Under the DOH’s Safe Water System Project, sodium hypochloride is used instead of chlorine to be mixed with drinking water.

Desesto said this method is used in 22 countries to fight cholera. Relatively cheaper than chlorine, a few drops of the odorless sodium hypochloride based on a standard measurement is mixed with the drinking water.

To prevent acute gastroenteritis, proper hygiene and the boiling of drinking water for three to five minutes past the boiling point are the easiest ways, she said.