THE Iloilo City Government needs more medical personnel to augment preventive measures in response to dengue outbreak that hit the metropolis.
“We need P3 million or P1 million a month to pay for the services of additional 10 doctors, 78 nurses and 12 medical technologists to cater to increasing dengue patients and address the alarming health problem,” Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said.
The City Council declared a state of calamity due to dengue outbreak following recommendation by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC).
Thus, the City Government may utilize its P34-million Quick Respond Fund for equipment and P5-million maintenance and other operating expense trust fund from 2018 for hiring of personnel.
City Hall will purchase sprayers for misting, fogging machines, and chemicals to be given to all 68 public schools and 180 barangays.
The mayor said they will provide the same to volunteer groups, national government agencies, and civic organizations that are willing to help in the anti-dengue drive.
There were nine deaths out of 1,119 dengue cases in the city as of July 20, an increase of 462.3 percent from the same period last year.
There are 67 barangays with clustering of cases or those with three or more cases for four consecutive weeks June 23-July 20. (PR)