By RALPH JOHN MIJARES
ROXAS City — Councilor Cesar Yap Jr. believes traditional ways of treating rabies only endanger rabies victims.
Aside from possibly resulting in death, these alternative methods only give patients “false hope,” said Yap, a physician.
Usually done by unlicensed healers, these traditional methods — tandok, garlic rub and “wound sucking” — have not been scientifically proven to cure the disease, he stressed.
Yap proposed an ordinance prohibiting anyone, more particularly medical and paramedical practitioners, both licensed and unlicensed, from practicing these methods.
Violators will be fined with not less than P5,000 or imprisoned for six months but not more than two years, or both.
Erring licensed medical and paramedical practitioners will be fined with not less than P5,000 and/or imprisoned for one year but not more than four years.
Humans get rabies when bitten or licked by rabid animals.
The rabies virus hits the nerve tissues, then goes up to the brain. This can lead to death if left untreated.
In tandok, the healer uses the tip of an animal’s horn, either that of a carabao or a goat, to suck the supposed saliva of the rabid animal out from the patient’s wound.
This can lead to tetanus, according to Yap./PN
