DOH declaration Biliran, E. Samar among disease-free provinces

CEBU, Philippines - Biliran and Eastern Samar of Region 8 were among the provinces declared by the Department of Health yesterday as free from rabies, malaria, and filariasis as a result of integrated efforts and strategies, and maximizing resources in the elimination of these diseases.

This year, Biliran and Marinduque were declared rabies-free provinces; Batanes, Dinagat Islands in Surigao, Camarines Sur and Romblon malaria-free provinces; and Marinduque, Albay, and Eastern Samar filaria-free provinces.

These provinces will be given the disease-free zone awards to recognize their efforts and at the same time, challenge them to sustain their disease-free status.

“The move to declare these provinces as disease-free is a culmination of all our efforts including those of the local government,” Health Secretary Enrique Ona said.

The DOH has launched the Disease-Free Zone initiatives in 2007, and eliminating these diseases has been part of attaining the health-related Millenium Development Goals towards achieving Kalusugan Pangkalahatan.

For malaria, there was an 80 percent and a 93 percent reduction in the number of cases and deaths, respectively, from 2005 to 2011, surpassing the 2011 UN Millenium Development Goals.

Rabies, which remains a serious  public health problem in the country responsible for the deaths of 200 to 300 Filipinos annually. One of the strategies being implemented is the extensive advocacy campaign for rabies awareness. Provision of pre-and post-exposure prophylaxis is also being carried out to attain our goal of rabies-free Philippines by 2020.

Filariasis is the second leading cause of permanent and long-term disability affecting mostly the poor (4th-6th class types) towns in the country. With the program strategies being implemented, nine provinces have reached elimination level previously, namely: Southern Leyte and Biliran in Eastern Visayas, as well as Sorsogon, Bukidnon, Romblon, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Cotabato and Compostela Valley provinces.

“The challenge now is to secure, strengthen, and sustain the commitment from the local government units to take ownership and responsibility for the management of the malaria, filariasis and rabies control programs, for effective, efficient, and sustained implementation within their respective localities and for these programs to be expanded to more provinces”, Ona concluded. Contributed (FREEMAN)