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Friday, August 12, 2005
Dengue in Cebu City 'isn't of epidemic proportion'
By Rene H. Martel
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Dengue cases in Cebu City have not yet reached epidemic proportions, but a health official said the Cebu City Council can declare a state of calamity as a proactive measure so that more funds can be accessed to mount a campaign against the disease.
Dr. Enrique Tayag, director of the National Epidemiology Center, told Vice Mayor Michael Rama and city councilors yesterday that for dengue to be considered a calamity, it should reach what they call an epidemic or outbreak level. That is when at least 20 percent of the total population is already affected.
As of yesterday, the City Health Department reported that out of 685 cases reported, 19 have resulted in death. Last year, seven died out of 937 victims.
That means that dengue cases in Cebu City are already “unusual” or “alarming,” but have not yet reached epidemic proportions.
Cebu City is still at the “alert threshold level,” which means the situation has “exceeded the usual number of cases but not yet reached epidemic proportions.”
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal announced that dawn novena masses will be held in parishes for those afflicted by the dengue virus.
He said Cebuanos need the divine intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The City Disaster Coordinating Council, after receiving City Health Department head Fe Cabugao’s weekly surveillance report, decided last July 26 that there is a need for the City Government to declare a state of calamity.
Cabugao said that although to them the situation could not yet be considered a calamity, based on their parameters, she welcomed the declaration because it means more funding for their campaign to control the disease.
The council earlier took offense at allegations that members were just out to earn “commissions” in making the declaration, when even the Department of Health (DOH) said the situation in Cebu City could not yet be considered a calamity.
It turned out doctors have a different parameter of what a calamity is, compared with members of the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council, which recommended to the council that the city be declared under a state of calamity.
Yesterday, Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem clarified that the mist sprayers he showed to the media early this week were bought using last year’s funds.
City Hall has not yet disbursed a single centavo from its calamity fund for dengue.
Cabugao, Dr. Myrna Go of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), City Budget officer Nelfa Briones, DOH, and broadcaster Leo Lastimosa were invited to attend yesterday’s executive session.
Lastimosa, whom Cebu City Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa said imputed malice on the City Council for insinuating somebody earned in the declaration, did not show up.
Councilor Arsenio Pacaña said he heard Lastimosa over his program that he will only attend a council session if it is not a closed-door affair.
Rama said they will invite him in next week’s regular session.
ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol, which Lastimosa anchors, reported that although Cebu City bought new mist sprayers, it failed to replace CCMC’s blood refrigerator, which is very important in the treatment of dengue.
City Administrator Francisco Fernandez yesterday promised that funds for the purchase will be available in a week’s time.
Tayag also announced that the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center’s pediatric ward has a shortage of beds for dengue patients. He said the DOH set up a dengue fast lane so that in two hours, all necessary tests will already be made on a patient.
(August 12, 2005 issue)
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