Dengue cases in Negros ‘alarming’

BOARD Member Melvin Ibañez, chairman of the Provincial Board (PB) committee on health, said the number of dengue cases in Negros Occidental this year is alarming.

He said that for this month alone, there is already a surge of dengue cases. He said he already informed the governor about this.

"So where are we going to get the needed funds to address this problem if the provincial budget for 2013 would not be acted on by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan?" Ibañez wondered.

He also appealed to his colleagues at the PB who are opposing the passage of the budget to listen to their conscience for the sake of the people of Negros.

Ibañez said that based on records, there was a seven percent increase in dengue cases last year with 1,179 and five deaths, compared to 1,104 cases with 14 deaths in 2011.

The surge of dengue cases at the onset of this year is due to the rainy weather and that the surge this year is also expected as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecasted that this will be a La Niña or rainy year, Ibañez said.

He said though that despite the increase in dengue cases last year, the budget pegged at P500,000 for its campaign was not spent. (TDE)