A CAPITOL official will recommend declaring a state of calamity in Cebu Province so that it can tap emergency resources to keep dengue fever from spreading.
Dengue fever has hit 5,190 persons in the province since Jan. 1, 2016. At least 55 have died. The number of cases is 111 percent higher than the 2,461 recorded in the same months in 2015, when 10 persons died.
But officials of the Department of Health (DOH) 7 cautioned the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) against using the declaration to buy misting machines.
Rennan Cimafranca of DOH’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu) said that using misting machines might just worsen the situation.
He recalled that the Cebu Provincial Government has been getting misting machines since 2015, but that didn’t bring down the number of dengue fever infections. He made the statement after hearing about the Capitol disaster office’s plan in a TV report.
Cimafranca’s statement in the Kapihan sa PIA yesterday drew support from Dr. Ronald Jarvik Buscato, DOH 7 Dengue program coordinator, who explained that based on studies, continuous misting operations won’t work against dengue fever.
It might, instead, worsen the situation since dengue mosquitoes could easily become immune to the chemicals being used.
If the Capitol insists on getting those machines, it should get state-of-the-art ones that are sold outside of the country, which are more effective than conventional ones, Buscato added.
The DOH is also looking at five Cebu City barangays where the number of dengue infections suddenly went up in recent months.
Hot spots
The barangays are Guadalupe, Labangon, Lahug, Luz, and Tisa.
But Cimafranca explained these areas will be considered as “hot spots.” There’s no reason to declare an outbreak.
Buscato added that the DOH’s 4S policy is still the most effective way to keep dengue fever from spreading.
What are these? Search for and destroy potential breeding sites of the mosquito that carries dengue fever. Self-protection: use long-sleeved tops and pants, as well as insect repellents. Seek early consultation if feeling ill. “Say yes to fogging” only in case of a dengue outbreak.
Dengue fever’s symptoms include a sudden high fever, skin rashes, joint pains, fatigue, nausea, and headaches.
Cimafranca reiterated he does not support the declaration of a province-wide dengue outbreak.
DOH will only declare a dengue outbreak or epidemic if the number of cases increases by 10 percent compared to the cases that were monitored in the last five years, he explained.
The DOH also believes that a declaration of an outbreak should be limited to a specific area, so that the problem can be more manageable.
More funds
At the Capitol, PDRRMO Executive Director Baltazar Tribunalo said he will recommend the declaration of a state of calamity, and this will enable the Cebu Provincial Health Office (PHO) to give more assistance.
The PHO’s funds for dengue fever are disbursed on a quarterly basis. It now has an allocation of P200,000 for chemicals that can kill mosquito larvae. (Dengue fever is spread by the aedes aegypti, the same mosquito that carries the zika virus.)
Declaring a state of calamity will allow the Province to access more funds.
However, PHO chief Dr. Rene Catan also maintained his earlier pronouncement that cleaning the surroundings is the best activity against dengue fever. Using chemicals has limited effectiveness.
The Cebu Provincial Board declared last Oct. 10 a dengue outbreak. Cebu City declared a state of calamity the day after.
Tribunalo said that if the Province declares a state of calamity, its officials can use a “quick response fund” for a thorough education campaign.
Quick
PDRRMO funds exist in three types: the quick response fund (QRF), which requires that a state of calamity be declared; and the disaster preparedness and prevention funds, which can be used without any declaration.
Tribunalo said that if a calamity is declared, the Province will start stockpiling anti-dengue supplies and equipment in 13 affected local governments. It was the situation in these 13 areas that provoked the declaration of an outbreak.
The Capitol, he said, will then send larvicide to the affected areas, buy misting machines, and field additional personnel to the vulnerable sites for three weeks to a month.
“This is not in response to dengue but being prepared na mo-grabe ang outbreak (in case the outbreak worsens),” said Tribunalo.
The PHO’s records showed that last July, each of the 44 town received eight boxes of larvicide. Each box was worth P6,000 and contained 80 sachets.
The remaining P200,000 for the fourth quarter this year was also earmarked for more larvicide.
