HEALTH officials in Mandaue City will be requiring its 27 barangays to reactivate its dengue brigades amid the rise of dengue cases in the city.
Dr. Debra Maria Catulong, Mandaue City Health Office (MCHO) medical officer, said on Thursday, June 2, 2022, that reactivating the barangays’ dengue brigades will help stabilize the dengue cases in the city.
Data from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit in Central Visayas showed that Mandaue City ranked third among the cities in Central Visayas with high number of dengue cases.
First on the list was Cebu City with 855 cases and 11 deaths, followed by Lapu-Lapu City with 663 cases and six deaths.
Mandaue had 261 dengue cases with two deaths from January 1 to May 21, 2022, compared to the 37 cases with zero deaths recorded in the same period in 2021.
The top five barangays in Mandaue with the highest number of dengue cases are Basak with 23 cases, followed by Labogon with 22, Cabancalan - 21, Tabok - 18, and Canduman - 17.
Catulong said the plan to bring back dengue brigades was brought up during the MCHO’s meeting with the city’s village chiefs on Tuesday, May 31.
The dengue brigade will comprise of the barangay captain, health center staff, a representative of the barangay health workers, a village councilor who chairs the committee on health, and purok leaders.
It will implement their plans on how to solve the dengue cases within a specific community.
Catulong said solving the dengue cases at the barangay level is necessary to prevent the dengue-carrier mosquitoes from spreading.
Among the topics discussed during the meeting was to strictly implement the “4s strategy” against dengue which are search and destroy mosquito breeding sites, self-protection measures, say no to indiscriminate fogging, and seek early consultation.
Those experiencing fever for at least two days must have themselves checked by a doctor. The MCHO provides free medical services and laboratories, Catulong said.
Mild dengue symptoms include muscle and joint pains, body rash that may disappear and then reappear, high fever, intense headache, pain behind the eyes vomiting and feeling nauseous.
Those with dengue hemorrhagic fever may experience bleeding from the mouth, gums, or nose; clammy skin; damage to lymph and blood vessels, internal bleeding that can lead to black vomit and feces, or stools; lower number of platelets in the blood; sensitive stomach and small blood spots under the skin.
Catulong also reminded the public to clean their surroundings, especially those areas with stagnant waters.
“Plantitos and plantitas (planting enthusiasts) and all people should make sure to clean their houses constantly. Moist in plants and the areas where the plants stood are the most common breeding grounds for the dengue-carrying mosquitoes,” Catulong said.
“It is also not enough to empty those containers with stagnant water. We need to brush them to make sure that the mosquito larvae staying there will be killed,” she added.
During the meeting, the MCHO also reminded the barangays to strengthen their blood donation campaign that was launched in April in partnership with the Department of Health in Central Visayas.
Catulong encouraged the public to donate blood as this would help a lot of patients, specifically now that dengue cases are increasing.(HIC / TPT)