Capitol allots P26.5M for dengue medicines, supplies

By: Gerome Dalipe

THE Iloilo Provincial Government has allotted about P26.5-million for the purchase of medicines and other supplies after placing the Province under a state of calamity due to dengue fever cases.

The Iloilo Provincial Board approved the resolution on Tuesday placing the Province under the calamity state as dengue cases reached 6,806 with 23 deaths since Jan.1, according to the Provincial Health Office (PHO).

Apart from medicines and other medical supplies, the budget will also be used to buy chemicals for spraying against dengue mosquitoes, mosquito repellents, and mosquito nets, among others.

The allocation will be distributed to 11 district hospitals and one provincial hospital, and rural health units.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) recommended the declaration of a state of calamity after Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. declared a dengue outbreak last July 15.

Dengue fever cases in Iloilo have increased by over 998 percent as compared to last year’s 620 cases with three deaths from January to July 2018, records from the Provincial Health Office showed.

Likewise, the recipients of the allocation are required to submit the fund utilization report to the Provincial Board every two weeks from the implementation of the program.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) approved the calamity declaration, citing the 6,806 dengue cases with 23 deaths recorded by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) since Jan. 1 this year.

The town of Pototan, Iloilo topped the list with 713 cases, followed by Passi City with 458 cases.

Sara has 378 cases, while the towns of Concepcion and Lambunao have 333 and 293, respectively.

The Provincial Government and all municipal mayors earlier held a Province-wide clean-up drive last July 6.

The clean-up continued for four consecutive Saturdays in a bid to destroy the breeding places of day-biting mosquitoes.

The Provincial Government received donations of folding beds from the Philippine National Red Cross and the fogging equipment and materials from the Department of Health.

Government doctors also suggest focussing their intervention on towns with a high number of dengue cases.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing severe flu-like illness.

These carriers are day-biting mosquitoes (Aedes albpictus and Aedes Egyptian) that live and breed in clean and stagnant water.

Doctors also advise people with dengue symptoms to immediately seek medical treatment.

Some of the symptoms are severe headaches, high fever, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes.