City Joins ASEAN Dengue Campaign
June 20, 2015
BAGUIO CITY – the city government here spearheaded by the City Health Services Office in coordination with the Department of Health Cordillera Regional Office launched Monday the celebration of the Asean Dengue Day.
This years theme, “Eskwelahan, Simbahan, Barangay, Palengke at buong Komunidad, sama-sama nating sugpuin ang Dengue” is a call for a strengthened collaboration between stakeholders to combat the spread of dengue in the community.
City Epidemiology Surveillance Coordinator Dr. Donnabel Tubera revealed Baguio City has the highest recorded dengue cases in the region and the highest among 10 regions monitored to have dengue cases in 2014.
As per data gathered in the 2014 surveillance, Baguio City registered 377 cases, Benguet had 186 cases, Mt. Province with 7 cases, Ifugao with 2 cases, Kalinga 1, Apayao 1 and Abra was dengue free.
The records show the 2014 data has a very significant decrease in dengue cases in the Cordillera region from the 2013 surveillance where Baguio City registered 1,866 cases, Benguet with 1077, Mt. Province with 26, Kalinga with 10, Ifugao with 7, Abra with 2 and Apayao with no case recorded.
Tubera also reported 13 barangays in the city have reported two or more cases of dengue for the surveillance period January to June this year.
Barangays affected are Bakakeng Central with 11 cases, Loakan Proper with 5, Bakakeng Norte with 4, Camp 7 with 4, Dominican-Mirador with 3, Gibraltar with 3, Irisan with 3, BGH Compound, Fairview Village, Loakan-Liwananag, Mines View Park, Pacdal and Trancoville barangays with 2 each.
Health Officials warn the onset of the rainy season also signals the upsurge in dengue cases and the best way to counter this is by practicing the Dengue 4’oclock Habit’ campaign.
The campaign incorporates a STOP, LOOK and LISTEN approach that should be implemented as a daily habit.
When the clock strikes 4, everyone should ‘stop’ what they are doing and shift to mosquito control.
‘Look’ means searching for the breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes and carry out systematic search and destroy activities in and outside the home.
‘Listen’ entails heeding the instructions of local authorities, community leaders and health officials for a synchronized implementation of the 4 o’clock habit in order to eradicate the breeding sites of mosquitoes.
High risk communities are also advised to create their own dengue support groups to strengthen the implementation of the campaign and to spearhead clean-up activities./Paul Rillorta
