Dengue fast lanes in hospitals and dengue preparedness plan for DepEd and LGUs now underway

While campaign to stop dengue in the province has been intensified, measures to address the problem is now a wide spread campaign engaging LGUs and medical facilities including private hospitals.

In a 2-day Dengue Summit conducted by the provincial government last October 7-8, 2019, representatives from local government units (LGUs), public and private hospitals, and Department of Educationwere tapped to solicit the stakeholders’ commitment and support to address the dengue situation besetting the province.

During the summit, participants crafted their respective Dengue Action Plan where strategies and different plan of action were identified in preparation for any dengue eventualities.

The dengue action plan will also serve as the stakeholders commitment in response to the call for help to mitigate the current dengue problem not only in the province which recorded a 220% increase or 6,033 cases as of early September compared to last year’s 1,887 dengue cases. 

Acting Vice Governor and SP Committee on Health Vice Chair Shirlyn Macasarte-Villanueva led the crafting of the Dengue Action Plan.  Macasarte has authored a proposed “Anti-Dengue Ordinance”where among its provisions is the creation of Provincial Vector-Borne Disease Council (PVDC) to recommend policies and programs on the prevention and control of dengue and other vector-borne tropical diseases prevalent in the province; and the organization of Dengue and Vector-Borne Disease Brigades which shall serve as satellite and force multiplier task force of the Provincial Dengue and Vector-Borne Disease Convergence. 

The proposed ordinance also prohibits improper storage of old tires, batteries, steel or plastic drums, pails, empty bottles, jars and water tanks and all other containers which are no longer in use and without proper covering which may contain water and possibly become breeding places for mosquitos. The said proposed “anti-dengue ordinance” is pending at the committee for discussion.

The acting vice-governor will also draft an incentive guidelines for LGUs who can drastically decrease their number of dengue cases from the previous year.

Dengue Fast Lane for Hospitals

Establishment of a Dengue Fast Lane was one of the most common proposals among hospitals as it will help them provide immediate and proper medical intervention to suspected dengue patients.

Relative to this, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Health Chair Dr. Philbert Malaluan had earlier mentioned in his message during the opening program of the summit, the “Dengue Ordinance” the SP is developing.  He said, among its proposed provisions is to require hospitals to provide a Dengue Fast Lane for dengue suspects who he said will be defined as a person who suffered at least 24 hours of fever.  With the dengue fast lane, Malaluan said they are looking into the possibility of “no down payment and no reseta” policy upon admission of suspected dengue patients to ensure that medical intervention needed will not be delayed, knowing how fast the virus could cost the life of an infected individual. 

Malaluan also added other proposed provisions of the ordinance, which include the increase of funding for awareness building including Facebook and text advisories, barangay seminars and assemblies and additional funding for the purchase ofolyset insecticidal nets and fogging machines and chemicals, among other provisions.

Dengue Preparedness Action Plan for LGUs and DepEd

Based on the separate action plans presented by the local government units (LGUs) and the Department of Education, a strategic planning for the formulation of a dengue preparedness or dengue control plan will be conducted the soonest possible time in their respective agencies.  LGUs has also committed to craft a municipal dengue ordinance, creation of brigade or barangay dengue task force, strengthen the conduct of dengue awareness and information campaign and the conduct of Sabayang 4 O’clock Habit or “Operation Kulob” in their localities through a resolution.

The “Sabayang 4 O’clock Habit ParaDengGet Out” campaign of the Department of Health (DOH) was officially launched in the province during the 1st day of the summit, October 7, 2019 at exactly 4PM where participants went out of the venue to search and destroy mosquito breeding sites (stagnant water) including food containers, cellophanes, containers, bottle caps, and ornamental plants where stagnant water was present. 

DOH has urged the “participation of the general public whether they are in the community, workplaces, or in schools, to make it a regular 4 o’clock daily habit.”

Meanwhile, aside from the action plan, LGUs also presented the best practices implemented in their respective localities in the dengue information campaign and control program.  Medical practitioners were also trained about the new guidelines on the medical management of dengue by Dr. Talitha Lea V. Lacuesta, Consultant of Internal Medicine, Unihealth Parañaque Hospital and Medical Center. 

Cooperation from stakeholders urged

In her message, Acting Vice Governor Emmylou “Lala” J. Taliño-Mendoza assured that the provincial government is doing its best to address the dengue issue.  She said, as the province is also confronted with other health threats aside from dengue, the provincial government along with its various partners and stakeholders are working hand in hand to prevent the entry of meningococcemia, another mosquito-borne disease, and the African Swine Fever which are threatening the country today.

She said, local officials including legislators from the municipal / city down to the barangay level are engaged to ensure that interventions or programs to be undertaken are direct from the grassroots for these to become effective and sustainable.

Medoza also urged LGUs to purchase their own fogging machine and asked the Sangguniang Bayan of each locality to spearhead a clean-up drive in their own areas.As she expressed gratefulness for their presence, she also stressed the importance of the strong support and commitment of all stakeholders concerned to protect our families from disease.

Board members Maria Krista A. Piñol-Solis, Rosalie H. Cabaya and Ivy Dalumpines-Balitoc who were also present to grace the summit also asked participants to help in the information dissemination campaign even in the simplest way emphasizing that dengue is a preventable disease only if people will work together to fight it. Other attendees of the summit were SB members from different municipalities, Liga ng mga Barangay presidents, municipal health officers, dengue program coordinators, surveillance officers, chiefs of district and community hospitals in the province and other hospital staffs from private hospitals.

The 2-day summit is facilitated by the Integrated Provincial Health Office led by Dr. Eva C. Rabaya.//lqg//