DOH-WV launches mass filariasis treatment

No, it’s not just dengue fever that poses a threat to local communities. It seems that, to my astonishment, the regional health department recently launched a mass drug administration against filariasis.

And I had thought all along that this disease was only endemic to Eastern Visayas provinces. But it seems that it was detected in Iloilo province. And the latest report is that in Tapaz, Capiz alone, 35 residents were found positive of lymphatic filariasis. This is a disease that causes painful and profound disfigurement of a victim’s body.

Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic disease that primarily affects children and women, especially those living in remote areas.

The Capiz Integrated Provincial Health Office reported that it is now considered endemic in 16 of the 59 villages of Tapaz town.

In Iloilo, Dr. Patricia Trabado, provincial health officer, reported that it was first detected in the province in early 2007.

What makes it alarming is that Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. created the Iloilo Province Filariasis Elimination Task Force recently to coordinate and handle the anti-filariasis campaign.

Initially, according to Dr. Evelyn Dolido, IPHO medical specialist IV, 35 of the 656 people from 16 villages of Tapaz were initially found positive of the disease. Others are still not fully confirmed.

And just for the record, the reason why I mentioned dengue as not the sole threat, filariasis is transmitted through mosquitoes which deposit the parasite on the person’s skin.

These larvae then migrate to the lymphs and develop into adult worms over a period of six to 12 months. These cause damage and dilation of the lymphatic vessels.

These larvae can live for several years in an infected human host. And again, the carrier can transmit it to another through mosquito bites.

What makes it alarming is that filariasis is often unrecognized in its early stages. But later it induces permanent and long-term disability among its human victims.

Among its manifestations are lymphoedema of the limbs, genital diseases such as swelling of the scrotum and penis, and acute recurrent secondary bacterial infections of acute nature.

But it seems over the years to have been overlooked or misdiagnosed, mainly because majority of the victims are from interior and poorer communities.

But it is apparently threatening to break out from the fourth- to sixth-class communities to larger areas.

Symptoms include swelling and pain in the breast, vagina, scrotum, legs, arms as well as fever, cough and chills.

Detection of filariasis is only through blood means and takes from one to six years for visible symptoms of the disease to appear, hence the mass drug treatment.

Sugar buying resumes, but advance VAT reviewed

Sugar trading picked up again yesterday as Finance Secretary Margarito Teves was reported by Sugar Administrator Rafael Coscolluela as set to issue a new revenue regulation on advanced value added tax on sugar cooperatives.

As reported in an earlier column, Teves is drafting the proposal by President Arroyo to use the amount collected for the fertilizer subsidy for the sugar industry to help especially the small farmers, Coscolluela said.

This was the suggestion by the President when she received the complaints of several sugar cooperatives for the scrapping of the advance VAT on refined sugar during her Wednesday visit here when she officially opened this year’s Masskara Festival at the Bacolod Plaza.

The early export program apparently had an impact on sugar buying. Yesterday’s bidding was above the P1,000 mark for 50 Lkgs of raw sugar. Hawaiian Philippines and Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Corp. fetched P1,052 and P1,046, respectively.

“It shows the market is now beginning to move,” Coscolluela said.

Rep. Monico Puentevella reported that Teves had instructed the BIR to draft a win-win solution to the impasse over the tiff between BIR officials and the sugar cooperatives over the collection of advance VAT.

The proposed draft, Coscolluela said, will involve clarificatory provisions and more precise definition.

At the same time, discussions are ongoing with the agriculture department on the mechanics of a fair, equitable, transparent and full-proof fertilizer subsidy for the sugar industry. This was also followed by a meeting between sugar organizations and the Philippine Sugar Corp. to import fertilizer to bring down the production cost of sugar farms.

Well, as they say, some fireworks can be brought down to a peaceful dialogue by the entry into the discussion of top government leaders.

ADDENDUM. Negrenses hope for a boost in their tourism program when the President on Wednesday directed Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza to work for the opening of direct flights to the Silay-Bacolod Airport from neighboring countries in Asia. The proposed international flights will be from Hong Kong and Korea and could land at the Silay Airport. However, this means that the runway will have to be stretched by some 300 to 500 meters. But that gesture boosts the hopes of Negrenses for a boom in tourism.