Friday, August 17, 2007
Mandaue declares calamity to hasten purchase of supplies against dengue
MANDAUE City officials agreed this week to declare a state of calamity because of dengue fever, a move that will speed up its access to calamity funds and allow emergency purchases without bidding.
In its session, the Mandaue City Council, presided by Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, adopted a resolution from the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) to declare the city as a “dengue outbreak” area. Mayor Jonas Cortes heads the CDCC.
A difference in word choice was the only kink that had to be resolved for the council to approve the declaration.
Upon Fortuna’s suggestion, the CDCC resolution now calls on the officials “to declare a state of calamity due to dengue outbreak.” Mayor Cortes saw no problem with the amendment.
Fortuna said that the councilors were uncomfortable with the word “outbreak” and prefer the term “calamity.”
City Health Officer Dr. Oscar Qui-rante, however, said they do not use the word “calamity” in their medical reports and recommendations.
Health officials in other municipalities and the region usually declare an outbreak and the local government concerned then declares a state of calamity, he added.
The councilors approved the declaration after Dr. Quirante and the chief of the Mandaue City Hospital, Dr. Dominga Obenza, delivered their reports on the need for emergency purchases for the early detection of dengue fever.
Because of the increasing number of dengue cases admitted to the hospital, Obenza said, they now have no more laboratory reagents for CBC-platelet counts, which are needed to detect dengue.
She has a pending request to the council for P150,000 in laboratory items.
Quirante, in his report, said that dengue fever cases usually go through an “upswing” every five years.
He expects one such upswing this year; the highest number of recorded cases in recent years was in 2003, when 556 persons contracted dengue fever in the city.
From January to Aug. 10 this year, the City Health Office has recorded 155 dengue fever cases, and the numbers are expected to rise until November.
In 2004, 329 persons fell ill with dengue in Mandaue City; there were 392 such cases in 2005 and 345 cases last year.
Dengue is marked by a rash, fluctuating fever and joint pains, and has no known cure. In severe cases, blood transfusions may be needed. A critical part of care is preventing dehydration, especially among children, who are most vulnerable to dengue fever.
Communities can help prevent dengue fever by getting rid of any stagnant water, where the aedis aegypti mosquito that spreads dengue fever can breed. Fogging is used only selectively, as it only kills adults mosquitoes but not their larvae. (OCP)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 17, 2007 issue)
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