Dengue funds out

DENGUE in Cebu has become widespread that local government units (LGUs) and the regional health office have taken every doable step to save patients and curb its infection.

LGUs such as Cebu City and Talisay City have earmarked P10 million and P9.5 million of their calamity funds for the anti-dengue campaign.

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That, as the Department of Health (DOH) 7 has set up a network with government health facilities and invited medical technologists from Negros Oriental to speed up assistance to patients suspected to be suffering from dengue fever.

The move is aimed at decongesting government hospitals, now swarmed with dengue patients.

“We established dengue fast lanes wherein patients suspected to have dengue would be prioritized and allowed to undergo laboratory tests for them to know whether they have dengue or not. They do not have to pass through the usual route,” DOH-7 director Dr. Susana Madarieta told Sun.Star Cebu.

At the fast lanes, they will not be asked to pay right away, Madarieta said.

She also said they can go to the nearest health center and avail themselves of blood tests.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an acute infectious disease with symptoms such as fever, skin rashes, nose bleeding after fever and vomiting.

“The patients can be monitored at the health centers, so they do not have to be at the hospital,” Madarieta said.

Despite the increase in dengue cases in the region, Madarieta said no town or city has been declared an outbreak area wherein there are clustering of cases in barangays.

She said the increase in cases reported can be due to increase in awareness on transmission and symptoms of dengue.

At the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), spokesman Nonoy Mongaya said there are 90 dengue patients admitted at the Emergency Room Pediatric section and Pediatric Ward.

There are also 14 dengue patients from the Emergency Room Internal Medicine section and Internal Medicine Ward.

Madarieta said DOH 7 has also strengthened its laboratory services by calling in medical technologists from Negros Oriental who are handling malaria cases.

They will be tapped to do entomological surveys to identify Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes, she said.

Cebu City

The Cebu City Government has set aside P10 million for its anti-dengue program, which Mayor Michael Rama said should be given focus now.

The City Health Department (CHD) is strengthening its satellite laboratories in the barangays to decongest the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

CHD head Estella Ygonia said those who suspect themselves to have been hit by dengue can go to the satellite laboratory nearest them and get free checkup.

The satellite laboratories are in barangays Talamban, Luz, Mabolo, Parian, Punta Princesa, Guadalupe and Pardo.

CCMC had only 28 dengue patients at its pediatric ward as of yesterday.

About 35 to 40 percent of the dengue admissions at the City-funded CCMC are patients coming from areas outside Cebu City, hospital director Myrna Go said.

The Cebu City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit (Cessu) has recorded 1,175 dengue cases this year. Last year, there were 1,009 cases recorded.

Eleven patients died from January to August this year. For the same period last year, 18 died.

Mandaue City

In Mandaue City, the number of dengue cases dropped from 25 last month to seven yesterday but hospital beds remain fully occupied.

There is enough dextrose fluid at the Mandaue City Hospital, pharmacist Adelaida Manapsal said as she dismissed reports that the hospital has run out of supply.

The City Government has set aside P1.5 million from its calamity fund for its anti-dengue campaign. The money will be used to add to the budget of the Mandaue City Health Office (CHO), if needed.

Dino Valera, supervising nurse at the Mandaue City Hospital, said they are not turning away anyone for emergency treatment but refer them to other hospitals for confinement.

Valera said the hospital has only 50 beds and 10 beds or cribs in the pediatrics.

Twenty-five beds are occupied by dengue patients, he said.

Talisay City

The Talisay City Government will earmark P9.5 million to carry out anti-dengue and pre-disaster preparedness programs.

The budget will be taken from the calamity fund.

Talisay City Hall spokesman Arturo Bas said Mayor Socrates Fernandez wants the money used to repair a retaining wall in Sitio Crusher, Lawaan 3; to transfer urban poor dwellers to government relocation sites; to repair the city’s heavy equipment; and to carry out anti-dengue programs.

The Talisay City Health Office has reported 137 dengue cases this year. Three children have died.

Misting

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has ordered misting in every town, starting in the north.

She has four sets of misting equipment immediately procured.

She has named Provincial Board Member Serio Restauro, chairman of the health committee, as the pointperson in the misting operation.

The chemical used in misting has been found to be more effective in killing the fifth strain of mosquitoes, Garcia said.

The governor has called on the health officers of the local government units to immediately employ preventive measures and ask for Ipho’s help, if needed. (BAP/ETB/GC/OCP/RRF)