City folk alerted on hike in Dengue cases

The City Health Services Office (CHSO) alerted residents on the possible increase in the life-threatening dengue fever cases with the onset of the rainy season to contain the hike in the number of cases that might compromise their health condition.

City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo stated that people should not allow mosquitoes to proliferate during the rainy season as one of the major preventive measures to possibly avert dengue outbreak from happening in the city.

She claimed that residents should go back to the basics such as seek and destroy the breeding places of dengue carrying mosquitoes, particularly the sources of clear and stagnant water; secure self-protection such as wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants; seek early consultation when experiencing the signs and symptoms of the illness such as high fever among others and support fogging activities in identified hot spot areas in the city.

In terms of case management, particularly diagnosis, and inventory of bed capacity and supplies, the city health officer claimed that there will be an inventory of Oresol and paracetamol supply aside from the active case finding by the members of the barangay health emergency response teams (BHERTs) for immediate referral to the nearest district health centers for the conduct of rapid dengue tests for all patients with fever who are suspected to have dengue.

She claimed that there will also be a prompt management and referral of dengue cases to the various health facilities if needed apart from the close monitoring of cases that are managed as outpatients.

According to her, there will also be an inventory of dengue medicines and stocking of the needed supplies to ensure the availability of the medicines that will be provided to the dengue patients when necessary.

For hospitals, Galpo stipulated that there will also be an inventory of medicines and supplies, accessible clinical pathway guidelines that will pave the way for the prompt management of dengue patients and allocation of beds for dengue cases.

For the schools, Galpo disclosed that there will be scheduling of school nurses and school physicians who will be on duty and will be visiting the schools that will be complimented by the regular presence of clinic teachers in the absence of nurses or doctors.

Further, there will also be the posting of directory of nearest district health centers from the schools and the barangays and that febrile learners should be given appropriate attention and immediate referral to the nearest health facility when detected to have signs and symptoms of the deadly virus. – Dexter A. See