THE CITY Health’s office Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Unit intensified its information campaign against all mosquito-borne diseases in celebration of the National Dengue Awareness Month for the whole of June.
In an interview during the Madayaw Davao aired through the Davao City Disaster Radio Monday, Melodina Babante, Pest Control Worker II, said that their office is constantly conducting prevention and intervention efforts to combat dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases in the city.
From January to May 2022, the Davao City Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Unit recorded a total of 654 cases of dengue and three cases of death from the disease.
The measures include the collaboration with barangay units to monitor communities with high dengue cases, indoor residual spraying, distribution of “dengue kits” (containing insect repellant, mosquito nets, paracetamol syrup/tablets, and oral rehydration therapy products), and issuance of the NS1 Dengue test kits (which works the same way as a pregnancy test kit) for suspected dengue patients.
Babante said that barangay health centers can use the NS1 Dengue test kit for individuals with symptoms of the disease. Within 15 minutes, health workers can determine whether the patient is indeed infected with dengue.
“Ang mismong pasyente dad-on didto sa health center, didto sa laboratory kay medtech man gyud ang authorized na magconduct ana na test. Hinuon, duol lang siya, dili ingon na muadto pa kag hospital although nay mga ingana sa hospitals pero magbayad ka. Ang sa health centers, libre siya … Within 15 minutes kung naay duha ka lines meaning positive for dengue.” (The patient will be brought to the health center, to the laboratory because medical technicians are the ones authorized to conduct the test. Fortunately, health centers are closer, and you no longer have to go to a hospital although hospitals also have them, but you will have to pay. In health centers, it is free … Within 15 minutes, two lines mean positive for dengue.)
On the other hand, although the Tropical Disease Prevention & Control Unit continues to conduct intervention measures such as fogging upon request from the barangay, Babante said that this practice does not guarantee full prevention of the disease and may even cause undesirable side effects to the respiratory system. She instead reminded citizens that cleaning their communities is a more viable method of preventing an outbreak.
“Ang fogging is dili siya solusyon, intervention lang siya. Mao na ang tao importante maghinlo gyud ta sa atong palibot. Dili lang ingon na kita ang manghinlo, dapat tulungan, bayanihan ang dapat pagahimuon (Fogging is not the solution, it is only for intervention. That is why people need to keep their surroundings clean. They do not have to do it alone; it must be a community effort.)”
Babante also urged Davaoeños to practice self-protective habits such as applying insect repellants, wearing light-colored clothes that amply cover the skin, and being wary of mosquitoes during peak biting time—2 hours after sunset.
She added that people experiencing early symptoms of the disease (fatigue, joint pains, high fever, appetite loss, and pain behind the eyes) must seek early medical consultation.
With these intensified efforts, Babante assured Davaoeños that the city remains determined to prevent another major dengue outbreak similar to the one in 2010, which recorded 10,983 cases and claimed the lives of 88 people.
