Tupas: Task force will also monitor for measles, bird flu, other illnesses

The Iloilo City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) recently passed an ordinance requiring all city barangays to each form an anti-dengue task force.
According to City Councilor Candice Magdalane Tupas, who authored the ordinance and chairs the SP Committee on Health, barangay kagawads voiced concern over individual households unwilling to keep their surroundings clean.
In addition, the city councilor, while acknowledging the overall “good practice” of combating dengue in the barangays, noted, the only participants in the weekly clean-ups are barangay officials themselves and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries.
The committee report highlighted the “importance of educating the people of the necessary precautions to avoid a dengue outbreak” and recommended including such topics in school curriculum, along with conducting house-to-house education campaigns.
Tupas also believes anti-dengue task forces should monitor for other health threats including bird flu, measles, the Zika virus, side effects of Dengvaxia vaccinations, among other illnesses.
Earlier this week, the Iloilo City Health office (CHO) advised local residents to keep their surroundings clean as a way to avoid contracting dengue fever.
“The effective way, in order for mosquitoes not to breed, is to clean your house not only every Saturday but every day,” explained city health officer, Dr. Bernard Caspe. “Do not just rely on barangay officials to clean the surroundings, you should do it yourself.”
According to CHO, there were 474 dengue cases recorded in the city between January and April, along with six related deaths. The figure is an over 400 percent increase from last year when a total of 93 cases were recorded during the same period in 2018.
Caspe added, dengue cases may increase with the onset of the rainy season./WDJ, Iloilo City PIO