ILOILO City – To ensure a speedy response to medical emergencies during the two-day highlights of the Dinagyang Festival (Jan. 26 and 27), the City Health Office (CHO) has put on standby 20 ambulances.
Each of the five performance areas of participating Dinagyang tribes would also be posted with doctors and nurses.
The five performance areas are the Iloilo City Dinagyang Grandstand on Muelle Loney Street, provincial capitol area, Quezon Street, Plaza Libertad, and Maria Clara/Aldeguer-Iznart streets.
The Philippine Red Cross is mobilizing 150 volunteers, too, and so is the Iloilo City Emergency Response team.
“We have also tapped hospitals in the city as support groups. They were requested to form emergency response teams and ready their ambulances and emergency rooms,” said Dr. Bernard Caspe, city health officer.
On the other hand, to protect the health of food lovers at the Dinagyang food festival and popular food destinations such as Smallville Complex and the Iloilo Business Park, CHO has deployed sanitary inspectors.
Caspe said food kiosks must be clean and food preparation must be hygienic.
Food handlers have been required to secure health cards from the CHO, said Caspe.
Health cards are issued to food handlers here examined fit to work in the food service industry.
“Dapat may ara gid health certificates ang tanan na food kiosks and ila food handlers,” said Caspe.
Even comfort rooms and kitchens of bars and restaurants would be inspected, he added./PN
