ILOILO City – The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is urging everyone, particularly the elderly experiencing symptoms like cough and colds, to consult with the nearest health facilities for early management of these conditions to prevent them from worsening into serious risks.
This advisory follows the revelation of IPHO’s Field Health Information System (FHIS) data showing pneumonia as the top leading cause of mortality in Iloilo province for the year 2022, resulting in 1,120 deaths.
IPHO head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon explained that the data from FHIS indicated Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI) and Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) as the top leading causes of morbidity or reasons for consulting health facilities.
She suggested that some of these cases might have been neglected, leading to pneumonia, the primary cause of mortality in the province with 1,120 recorded deaths.
In 2022, a total of 22,670 individuals in the province sought medical consultation for ARI/URTI, making it the leading cause of morbidity.
Here are the 10 leading causes of mortality in Iloilo province for the year 2022:
* pneumonia – 1,120
* myocardial infarction – 691
* cancer all forms – 474
* accident all forms – 300
* diabetes mellitus – 264
* kidney disease – 253
* coronary artery disease – 257
* chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – 221
* sepsis/septicemia – 221
* congestive heart failure – 200
On the other hand, the following are the leading causes of morbidity in the province in 2022:
* ARI/URTI – 22,670
* Animal Bites – 11,611
* Wounds – 9,436
* Hypertension – 7,183
* Pneumonia – 5,964
* UTI – 4,370
* Tuberculosis – 2,885
* Skin diseases – 2,010
* Diabetes Mellitus – 1,871
* Hypersensitivity reaction – 1,573
Quiñon further emphasized the importance of immediate consultation for symptoms of colds and coughs, especially among the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions, to avoid complications.
She mentioned that free pneumonia vaccines are available at the nearest Rural Health Units (RHUs) for seniors to help protect against pneumonia, with vaccination recommended every five years.
Regular medical check-ups, a nutritious diet, proper sleep, and vitamin intake are also advised for all elderly individuals to monitor and maintain their health./PN
