THE Tropical Diseases Prevention and Control Unit (TDPCU) of the City Health Office-Davao (CHO-Davao) will soon implement penalties on households who will store unattended tires as part of their fight against dengue.

“Naa na tay ordinansa sa dengue unya pag naa nay implementing rules, ang balay nga adtoan sa Barangay Task Force [unya] pag-inspection naa kay ligid diha, positive ang ligid [nga gipuy-an og lamok] or drum positive, warningan ka. Inig balik pagkasunod simana naa paka diha magmulta na ka, apil na ang community service (We have an ordinance about dengue. Once the implementing rules (IRR) will be available, all households will be visited by the Barangay Task Force. If they find tires or drums that have become breeding grounds of mosquitoes, they will be warned. If it is still there, they could be fined and told to do community service), ” Elizabeth Banzon, TDPCU, and Nutrition Division Head, said during the Dengue Awareness Forum in 76-A Barangay Bucana on Friday afternoon, July 29.

Former Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, who was then the committee chairperson on health in 2021, has lobbied the passage of the ordinance titled "Davao City Mosquito-borne Diseases Prevention and Control Ordinance" in a bid to reduce the number of cases caused by the viruses or parasites transmitted by mosquitoes. However, Banzon said the ordinance was not implemented due to the pandemic.

Also, the ordinance will penalize storing of rain or tap water in containers not properly covered. Vacant lot owners who fail to clean their property and have become a breeding site for mosquitoes will also be penalized.

Earlier this month, according to CHO Head, Dr. Ashley Lopez, dengue cases in Davao City are under control but the mortality cases have increased during the first half of the year.

“In Davao City, as compared to last year’s data from January-June, we have 1,043 cases for the first half of the year but this year 867 cases from January-June. So ikumpara nimo ang cases last year to this year, niubos ta (so if we compare it to last year’s cases to this year, it decreased) actually but in terms of mortality, last year we had four reported deaths and it covers January-December. For this year, we already reported five deaths (January-June alone),” Lopez said in an interview with the Davao City Disaster Radio on July 25.

However, Banzon said they have been proactively monitoring all households in the city to make sure they are dengue-free.

CHO also reminded the public to practice the 4S, which stands for Search and Destroy breeding places; Secure self-protection; Seek early consultation; and Support fogging/spraying in hotspot areas. KSD