Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Evacuees told: Time to go home
AN OFFICIAL of the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CD) in Northern Mindanao said internally displaced persons (IDPs) should return to their homes now that the military has declared it is now safe to do so.
Dr. David Mendoza, chief of the Regional Epidemiology, Surveillance, and Disaster Response Unit, said people displaced by the conflict between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) should start going back to their homes in the Lanao del Norte hinterlands to decongest some of the evacuation centers.
Mendoza represented the DOH-CHD in the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC)-Northern Mindanao team sent to Munai, one of the hinterland towns affected by the ongoing conflict.
During a recent media briefing at the Information Command Center (ICC), Philippine Information Agency in Iligan City, Mendoza said DOH-CHD has also recommended that the local health personnel conduct monitoring and evaluation, as well as assist the local government units (LGU) in the conduct of health, water, and sanitation and nutrition programs in the evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, he reiterated the provision of psycho-social management and health teaching among the IDPs, especially the mothers, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for direct victims and other government agency and non-governmental organizations for indirect and hidden victims of the armed conflict.
On the other hand, Mendoza said patients who could not be managed in the area should be referred to a higher health center or the 2-way referral system should be strengthened.
There are about five government hospitals in the province and 22 rural health units, 11 of which are classified as Sentrong Sigla Health Centers. He acknowledged though that there is lack of health personnel in the hinterland areas, especially Munai, Tangkal, Poona Piagapo and Pantao-Ragat.
Hence, Mendoza said there should be augmentation of health manpower by members of the Inter Local Health Zones to improve health services in the evacuation centers as well as ensure continuous disease monitoring and surveillance by the local health authorities and the Provincial Health Office (PHO). (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/With press release)
