THE Provincial Health Board of the Province of Davao Oriental urges its constituents to seek early treatment if they suspect they have symptoms of dengue.
In a Facebook post by the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental on Friday, November 3, the health body urges the residents, specifically children, to seek hospital care especially if they are experiencing dengue-like symptoms.
The advice came up during their fourth regular meeting when the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC) recorded 1,897 dengue cases in the province.
The bulk of the 1,897 cases were from Mati City with 914 cases followed by Governor Generoso with 255 cases, then Caraga with 160 cases; Lupon with 154 cases, and Banaybanay with 103 cases.
Mati City Health Officer Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan expressed the importance of having an early treatment and diagnosis.
“If a child has had a fever for just two days, they should seek medical check-up right away,” Catbagon said.
Meanwhile, DOPMC Chief Dr. Reden V. Bersalo said that they already created a fast lane in the hospital for patients who are afflicted with dengue or those who have dengue-like symptoms.
Bersalo highlighted the role of Barangay Health Workers (BHW) in their fight against dengue and other health concerns that may pose a threat to their community hence, he urged the local chief executives of each town in the province to strengthen their BHW.
With the recently concluded 2023 Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE), Bersalo implored the newly elected local executives to keep the same medical staff even if barangay administration changes.
Governor Nino Sotero L. Uy, Jr. acknowledged the alarming rise in the number of dengue cases and intensified the information dissemination to raise awareness of the severe effects of this disease. In this campaign, they also pointed out how to respond to it when it is diagnosed.
Uy emphasized that there is a need to minimize the dangers associated with dengue and he encouraged the board to use a proactive approach to the issue.
Among its neighboring provinces, Davao Oriental is the second-lowest in the region in terms of dengue cases.
As a means to combat dengue, the DOPMC presented a number of important suggestions which include setting up a dengue brigade to rally locals in impacted barangays for clean-up efforts, performing interior and outdoor spraying, and executing routine search and destroy operations with the participation of the community. In order to increase environmental cleanliness among communities, DOPMC also stressed the importance of properly managing and segregating garbage.
Aside from dengue, the Provincial Health Board also noted a marked rise in measles and influenza cases, highlighting the critical need for an all-encompassing and coordinated effort to address these health issues. RGP