While everyone is doing all the protocols for safety against Covid-19, the Davao City Council reminded Dabawenyos of other infectious diseases that have an adverse effect to the community such as dengue.
According to Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, in October 2019 Davao City has recorded 2,500 cases of dengue and nine deaths.
“The Philippine government also declared a National Dengue Epidemic as dengue cases reached more than 360,000 nationwide. Ayaw na natin maghintay ng ganyan. We want this program in place up to barangay level,” Villafuerte said via Messenger.
Experts warned people to be safe always especially on rainy days as it is also seen as the peak of dengue infection. The common diseases during the rainy season include diarrhea, water-borne borne diseases such as malaria and dengue.
“Kahit po may Covid ayaw natin kalimutan na may ibang sakit na significant din ang epekto sa komunidad,” Villafuerte said.
This is also the reason why Villafuerte, who is also the chairperson of the Committee on Health of the 19th City Council, has proposed a resolution to enact an ordinance strengthening and institutionalizing the Davao City Mosquito-Borne Diseases Prevention and Control Program, which was recently passed and approved during its third and final reading.
Section 4 of the ordinance is the creation of a Davao City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Mosquito-Borne diseases prevention an control that will be chaired and co-chaired by the City Mayor and City health Officer respectively and members that include SP Committee on Health, City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), City Information Office (CIO), Liga ng mga Barangays, Barangay Local Government Units (BLGUs), Ancillary Services Unit (ASU), City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
Among the functions of the task force is to conduct monitoring in communities near respective offices in compliance to mosquito-borne viral disease prevention and control measures, come up with mosquito-borne disease advocacy communication plan and standard messages, ensure the conduct of the 4 o’clock habit in every household and in schools and offices, and direct the implementation of plans and activities of the task Force mosquito-borne diseases that will curb morbidity, economic burden and deaths caused by dengue as well as abnormalities and deaths caused by Zika virus and Chikungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases.
Villafuerte said the proposed ordinance is now at the City Legal Office.
“Para tan-awon kung legal ang tanan provisions, then kay Mayor Sara for her signature. Then back to the City Health Office (CHO) para ma-implement,” she said.
Villafuerte added that she drafted the ordinance with close coordination Beth Banzon of CHO and Engineer Antonietta Ebol of the Department of Health 11 (DOH 11).
Villafuerte added that during the Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) last 2019, preventing mosquito-borne diseases came out as one of priorities of CHO.
“So pinag-aralan natin and finally yan po ang naging product ng several committee hearings and consultations,” she said.
