THE increase in dengue-related deaths amid the drop cases in Negros Occidental prompted the Provincial Health Office (PHO) to form the Dengue Death Review Team.
Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said that from January to July this year, 13 deaths were reported, which is beyond one percent of the 1,203 cases reported in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, during the period.
In 2008, cases of dengue were high, but few deaths were reported.
“We are only in the month of July, but the deaths already reached 13,” Tumimbang said.
The PHO Dengue Death Review Team is headed by Tumimbang with members, including pediatricians and internal medicine specialists from Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
“We will discover to answer questions such as the possibility of wrong protocol in hospitals, possibility that our commodities like blood were not given, or was there a possibility of late referral that’s why such number of dengue patients died,” the PHO chief said.
Tumimbang added that through the review team, the history of the dengue patients will be traced to know why he or she died. Laboratory results will also be included in the review.