ILOILO City – The city government will be hiring more doctors, nurses and medical technologists, announced Mayor Jerry Treñas as the city was placed under a state of calamity due to dengue yesterday. These medical personnel would be deployed in barangay health centers and screen patients for dengue.
Treñas said the initial plan is to get 10 doctors, 78 nurses and 12 medical technologists.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) unanimously approved the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) to declare a state of calamity.
“We will provide dengue test kits to the barangays for the screening,” Treñas said. “We don’t know yet how much these will cost but I promise we will only spend what is needed.”
Data from the Iloilo City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (ICESU) showed the metro with 1,119 dengue cases (including nine deaths) as of July 20.
There was also a clustering of dengue cases (three or more cases for four consecutive weeks from June 23-July 20) in 67 of the city’s 180 barangays.
“Dengue cases have become very alarming. We will be hiring doctors, nurses and medical technologists to do the laboratory testing,” said Treñas.
Last year from Jan. 1 to July 20, the city only had 199 dengue cases with one death.
With the declaration of a state of calamity, the city government may now utilize its P34-million Quick Respond Fund and P5-million maintenance and other operating expense trust fund.
According to Treñas, who also chairs the CDRRMC, the city government will purchase knapsack sprayers for misting, fogging machines, and chemicals for distribution to 68 public schools and 180 barangays.
Misting or fogging in schools may be done on a Friday and Saturday to minimize if not avoid class disruptions.
A mosquito-borne viral infection, dengue could sometimes be fatal. Its carriers are day-biting mosquitoes (Aedes albpictus and Aedes aegypti) that live and breed and clean, stagnant water.
Individuals should suspect dengue when a high fever (40 degrees centigrade) is accompanied by two of the following symptoms: severe headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea / vomiting, swollen glands, muscle and joint pains, and rash.
For severe dengue, the warning signs to look out for are severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, blood in vomit, fatigue, and restlessness, according to the World Health Organization./PN
