ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) is alerting Western Visayans to the potential rise in heat-related diseases due to the El Niño phenomenon.
The conditions that could see an uptick include hypertension, asthma, vector-borne diseases (spread by mosquitoes and rats), water- and food-borne diseases, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, respiratory illnesses, skin diseases, diarrhea, red tide blooms, animal bites, rabies, cholera, and leptospirosis, among others.
“First, it’s crucial to understand El Niño’s impact on our health. It can potentially leading to an increase in cases or exacerbating non-communicable diseases,” said Dr. Florence Audrey Mamon-Pestaño, medical officer and head of the Health Emergency Management Staff (HEMS) at DOH Region 6.
As early as last year, she noted that DOH’s central office issued Circular No. 2023-0183 to ensure the preparedness and resilience of both government and private hospitals, as well as other health facilities, against the possible uptick in patient consultations and admissions.
“It provided health facilities with preparedness toolkits,” Mamon-Pestaño added.
The hot weather might lead to shortages in water and power supplies, she warned, underscoring the importance for each hospital or health facility to have a standby generator set to prevent service disruptions.
Hospitals must guarantee an adequate supply of safe drinking water for patients, stressed Mamon-Pestaño.
On the other hand, local government units (LGUs) and the Bureau of Fire Protection should help secure water supply for health facilities, should it become necessary, she added.
DOH-6 has distributed medicines to various hospitals and LGUs to address the potential increase in communicable and non-communicable diseases due to El Niño.
The department’s information and education campaign continues, with tours and updates posted on the DOH-6 Facebook page about the health effects of El Niño and prevention methods.
DOH Reminders
* Ensure that the water source for drinking and household use is safe and clean. If unsure about the source of water, boil the water properly.
* Protect water sources from contamination.
* Drink more fluids.
* Limit exposure to intense, excessive heat or doing strenuous physical activities under the sun.
* Maintain good personal hygiene and a clean environment.
* Listen to health advisories and check the DOH-6 Facebook Page (Department of Health Western Visayas – Center for Health Development) for information on health-related issues.
* Wear light clothing.
* Seek early consultation if feeling unwell. Go to the nearest health station or healthcare providers.
* Be vaccinated.
* Practice reduce, reuse, and recycle and plant trees./PN
