Rise in dengue cases alarms councilors

THE continuing rise of dengue cases in Cagayan de Oro has stirred anxiety to some city councilors.

The councilors urged the City Council’s health committee and the City Government to take the lead in the fight against the disease.

Councilor Simeon Licayan said there are many open and unattended drainage and canals in Cagayan de Oro City that are breeding grounds for dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Licayan criticized the agency responsible for maintaining these drainage and canals.

“If they make projects, they should also maintain it and not just leave it unattended,” he said.

Councilor Roger Abaday said the challenge of preventing the rise of dengue cases lies in the involvement of every village.

“I am calling the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) to be united and take the lead in their respective barangays in maintaining cleanliness as an effective preventive measure in eradicating dengue,” Abaday said.

However, Councilor Dante Pajo, chairperson of the City Council committee on health and sanitation, said the Barangay Health Workers (BHW) were already doing house-to-house campaign and information dissemination on dengue prevention.

Pajo said the rise in the recent cases is very alarming but claimed that the fight against dengue needs community involvement.

“Dengue is becoming more fatal and should not be disregarded,” he added.

Earlier, Pajo said not less than five patients were admitted everyday in hospitals due to dengue fever and three have already died.

The increase of dengue cases in 2012 almost doubled compared to the same period in 2011.

Data from the surveillance team of the City Health Office led by Dr. Joey Retuya revealed that 1,341 cases were recorded from January to August 2 compared to only 816 in the same period in 2011.

The data were taken from patient’s admission in hospitals.

Jane Gacus, statistician II of the City Health Office, said only 20 patients succumbed to dengue in 2011.

Barangays Kauswagan, Carmen, Patag, Bulua and Consolacion in Cagayan de Oro were declared hotspots due to most number of patients with dengue illness. (Abigail Chee Kee Malalis)