DILG urged LGUs to conduct dengue clean-up drive

IN a bid to prevent the spread of dengue cases in the country, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo on Wednesday called on all governors, city and municipal mayors, barangay chairmen, including local health officers to conduct clean-up activities in their respective localities.

In a directive, Robredo enjoined local officials to conduct search and destroy operations of all potential breeding places of dengue-carrying mosquitoes in their areas of jurisdiction.

Local officials were also urged to enforce environmental sanitation such as dredging of clogged canals, esteros and other waterways; prune thick bushes or tree branches; remove or drain receptacles containing stagnant water; and conduct massive information drive on environmental control of breeding sites especially in endemic areas.

Robredo issued the directive amid reports from the Department of Health (DOH) that dengue cases in the country, from January 1 to July 23, 2011, has reached to 38,876 or 25.85% lower compared to 52,428 cases in 2010. Also, this year’s recorded number of deaths is at 226, wherein victims are mostly children.

He asked local chief executives (LCEs) to undertake the clean-up drive for two consecutive weekends: on August 20 & 21 and August 27 & 28, 2011 to stop the spread of the disease.

Robredo ordered members of the DILG Regional Management Coordinating Committee to ensure that their field officers actively participate in the clean-up efforts within their areas of jurisdiction.

He also directed all DILG regional directors to closely monitor and submit reports of LGUs’ compliance with the directive, a week after the conduct of said activity.

DOH nanawagan sa LGUs alang sa Dengue Screening matag weekend

TAGBILARAN CITY, Aug. 16 (PIA) – NANAWAGAN na ang Department of Health (DOH) sa mga lokal nga kagamhanan sa pagbukas sa ilang mga health centers matag weekend alang sa dengue screening tungod sa pagsaka sa kaso ng dengue sa nasud.

Matud pa sa tigpamaba sa DOH nga si Eric Tayag, kini aron mapugngan ang “overcrowding” sa mga pasyente sa mga tambalanan.

Gitataw ni Tayag nga ang weekend screening sa dengue alang sa hinanaling treatment sa mga dengue cases sa ilang mga kabalayan.

“We are appealing to LGUs that health centers be open on weekends so patients can be screened,” matud pa ni Tayag.

Nauna niini, natala na sa DOH ang 45,333 ka kaso sa dengue sa tibuok nasud sukad Enero hangtud Agosto ning tuiga, apil na ang nadugang nga 6,000 ka kaso sa katapusang duha ka semana.

Apan matud pa sa DOH nga mas ubos pa gihapon kini og 33.5% sa milabay nga tuig nga kaso nga mikabat sa 68,186 sa susamang bulan. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)

DoH allays fears on scarlet fever from Hong Kong

THE Department of Health (DoH) on Wednesday sought to allay fears stemming from the declaration of an outbreak of scarlet fever in Hong Kong.  “It is a childhood illness that is easily recognizable because of characteristic skin rash that easily leads to home or hospital confinement, thereby limiting its spread,” said Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the DOH-National Epidemiology Center.

But he said the disease remains to be a cause for concern because the scarlet fever was found to be a new one and appears to be resistant to antibiotics that were traditionally used to fight the illness.

As a precaution, Tayag advised “pediatricians to report any suspected cases so we can investigate if these are linked to the HK epidemic”.

Health officials in Hong Kong are now on the look out for scarlet fever, a bacterial infection that could spread through coughing and sneezing. It is characterized by a rash and sore throat.  At least 459 cases were recorded this year in Hong Kong, with two fatalities. Hong Kong declared an outbreak Tuesday.

Tayag maintained that at present, there is no report of suspected cases of scarlet fever in the
country. (DOH/PIA)

DOH warns parents vs rainy season illnesses

THE health department reminded parents of students to be more cautious as school starts because it is also the start of the rainy season.  The Department of Health (DOH) said cough, colds, flu and the deadly leptospirosis are
illnesses associated with the wet season.

DOH Secretary Enrique Ona said that cases of dengue fever increase during rainy season.  He advised the students to wear long sleeves and leggings to prevent catching the illness.  DOH continues to remind parents to equip their children with raincoats and umbrellas.

Students are also reminded to avoid wading through floodwaters, to prevent illnesses such as
leptospirosis. (DOH/PIA)

RH Bill, dili Divorce Bill ang prayoridad sa administrasyong Aquino

Tagbilaran City, June 3 (PIA) – Gitataw ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III nga dili prayoridad sa iyang administrasyon ang gidusong Divorce Bill sa Kongreso.  Matud pa sa Presidente nga ang Divorce Bill mahimong makaingon sa pagkabahin-bahin sa
publiko.  Gikuwestyon usab sa Presidente kun seryoso ba gayud ang nagduso sa maong balaodnon.

Nagtuo ang Malakanyang nga dili angay idungan ang Divorce Bill sa pagtuki sa Reproductive Health (RH) Bill nga mao karon ang prayoridad sa administrasyong Aquino.  Sigun pa ni Presidential Communications Group Secretary Ricky Carandang, gustong idungang sa RH Bill ang Divorce Bill human nahibaw-an nga ang maong balaodnon napasar ug legal na karon sa Malta, ang kapartner sa Pilipinas sa tibuok kalibotan nga nahabiling nasud nga walay diborsyo. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)