Government agencies join hands in campaign against dengue

To intensify the government’s dengue prevention and control program, four key agencies vowed to work closely together as the country braces for another dengue epidemic this year.

For the first time, the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) and Metro Manila Development Authority joined hands in waging an all-out war against dengue.

The DOH recorded 3,372 dengue cases nationwide from January to June this year. "The figure is 53 percent higher than in the same period last year, and is expected to increase if we do not make the necessary prevention," Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said.

Ages of the patients ranged from one month to 71. Majority or 53 percent were males, mostly aged one to nine. Twenty-eight deaths were reported as of June 8, and the fatality ratio was highest among those aged 40 and above.

The regions with the highest number of deaths were Northern Mindanao, Central Mindanao and Caraga, and those with the highest number of cases were Central Visayas (985) and the National Capital Region (917). In Metro Manila, Manila had the most number of cases with 215, followed by Quezon City (136) and Valenzuela (122).

Dayrit identified Balut, Tondo as a dengue hot spot or an area where cases have been increasing during the past two weeks. Entomologic surveys in the area are recommended to detect mosquito-breeding sites.

Present in the signing of the memorandum of agreement on dengue control at the CAA Elementary School in Las Piñas City were Dayrit, MMDA chairman Benjamin Abalos, DECS Assistant Secretary Fe Hidalgo, DILG city director for Las Piñas Myrna Landrito and Las Piñas councilor Ruben Ramos.

The DOH will donate 1,500 "Kid Lakas" (Kilos Kabataan Laban sa Dengue) videotapes and 5,000 "Goodbye Kiti-Kiti, Goodbye Dengue" posters to the DECS to be distributed in 1,757 schools in Metro Manila. Rotary Club International funded the production of the education materials.

Dayrit said they expect 2001 to be a big year for the viral disease because of its three-year cycle of increased transmission. He said dengue fever cases reach epidemic proportions every three years, the last being in 1998.

"In 1998, 200 of almost 20,000 patients died. We cannot afford to let this happen again, hence we are urging all concerned sectors to do their part," he added.

Dengue fever is a disease caused by a bite of an infected day-biting Aeges Aegypti mosquito which reportedly strikes from dawn to 4 p.m. They breed in clean, stagnant water.

Symptoms of dengue fever are sudden onset of fever, headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, gum and nose bleeding and blood in stools.

The DOH and its partner-agencies urged local governments to organize and sustain community clean-up campaigns to ensure that residents will take it upon themselves to destroy possible breeding sites like bottles, old tires, roof gutters, tin cans or other containers where water can be stored.