The rally was preceded by the anti-dengue parades that started from three different points - Lupit in the southern portion of Bacolod, Capitol Lagoon for northern participants, and City Health Office for the eastern marchers.
In the rally, school kids were taught about aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the danger they will bring to humans, how to fight dengue, and how to eliminate these dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
The same thing was done in EB Magalona town in northern Negros wherein the Municipal Health Office (MHO) also tapped school kids in the fight against dengue.
Dubbed “Little Dengue Brigade,” Municipal Health Officer Dr. Edwin F. Jayme coordinated with the Department of Education- District of E.B. Magalona and asked District Schools Supervisor Raul Dinaga to tap their pupils and students in the campaign against dengue.
The Magalona kids were also taught how to maintain a clean environment and how to ruin possible breeding places of aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
They were also asked to keep on reminding their parents to observe the so-called 4:00 o’clock habit by cleaning their house’s surroundings and burning all garbage including dried leaves every 4 p.m. daily in order to drive away mosquitoes.
Meanwhile, based on record from the Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office, from January to August this year, there were already 39 dengue fatalities recorded from various towns and cities in the province.
Twelve of them were from Bacolod, the PHO report added.
Hundreds of Negrenses and Bacoleños were also infected, the health report also said. As of August 5, 2007, dengue cases in the City have reached 1,699 with 12 deaths, said Dr. Jovy Vergara, assistant City Health Officer.
Twelve barangays were reportedly affected by dengue including Barangays 1, 3, 21, 24, 23, 35, Taculing, Villamonte, Mansilingan, Handumanan, Bata and Estefania.
But Dr. Salome Biñas, head of the City Health’s environmental sanitation office, said that that there’s no cause to panic yet.
She said, “Everything remains under control.”
She said the City is now doing its best to put a stop to the occurrence of dengue cases in Bacolod.
The same thing is being done now by the PHO wherein Gov. Joseph Marañon has ordered the purchase of necessary medicines or vaccines to combat the dreaded dengue fever. Provincial Dengue Task Force chief Melvin Ybañez said the Provincial Government has requested DOH to allow the putting up two additional blood banks - one in Kabankalan and another in Cadiz due to the upsurge of dengue cases in Negros.
DOH only allowed blood banks at the Philippine National Red Cross and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
The additional blood banks will help decongest CLMMRH of patients who are from outside of Bacolod.
Health Regional Office 6 Dengue Coordinator Fabian Mabasa warned the public not to wear dark-colored clothes because these are attractive to mosquitoes.
People with black or brown complexion are also susceptible to mosquito bites.
Mabasa also identified the four “S” in fighting dengue that include seeking and destroying mosquito breeding places, self-protecting measures, seeking early consultation and treatment, and saying no to indiscriminate fogging.
Fogging, according to Mabasa, must be done only once a week and only at early morning or late afternoon.
At the City Council, Councilor Reynold Iledan called Tuesday for the immediate increase of the health budget in the City specifically on the additional allowances of barangay health workers who are always at the forefront of information dissemination about dengue.
He also suggested that if possible, the City should hire additional doctors and have ample health experts to effectively supervise barangay health centers in the City in cases of dengue outbreaks. (EASD/GABS)
