Taguig Steps up Drive vs. Dengue in preparation for school opening

Despite a drop in the number of dengue cases reported this year in Taguig, the City health officials stepped up the campaign against the potentially fatal disease to keep students safe when they go back to school on June 4.

Data from the City Health Office (CHO) shows that from January to April this year, the reported number of dengue cases in Taguig stood at 277, or lower by 27% compared to the 365 cases recorded for the same period last year.

As part of Mayor Lani Cayetano’s directive to intensify the anti-dengue drive, misting operations are regularly done on weekends in the city’s 34 public elementary and secondary schools, according to Dr. Isaias Ramos, OIC-chief of CHO.

“We are targeting public schools because students are most vulnerable to the disease,” said Dr. Ramos.

With the onset of the rainy season, Dr. Ramos said the CHO is also set to make the month of June a “Dengue Awareness Month” and launch a citywide anti-dengue campaign during the entire month.

The campaign includes misting and larvicidal operations, barangay-level lectures on dengue prevention, cleanup drives, and de-clogging of waterways like creeks and canals to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

But during the entire year, the CHO regularly conducts measures to raise dengue awareness and promote a clean environment.

Each of the city’s 28 barangays also has their own Dengue Task Force, headed by the respective barangay chair, to help in the campaign against the disease.

Dr. Ramos is confident that with the active campaign against the disease, the number of dengue cases in the city will post a significant drop for the entire 2012.

Mayor Lani said that “cleanliness” is the ultimate weapon in the fight against dengue.

“We are constantly reminding our barangay chair and local leaders to clean their communities to eliminate breeding grounds for dengue-carrying mosquitoes,” said Mayor Lani.

Under Mayor Lani, the Taguig City government increased its support for health services. Among others, the total budget for health services was hiked from P251.5 million in 2011 to P291.5 million this year, compared to only P198.5 million under the previous administration.

This year, Taguig City has completely filled with the necessary medical staff—composed of resident doctors, nurses, and dentists—all the 28 community health centers and two satellite health centers in the city.

Mayor Lani has also announced plans to open at least 4 “Super Health Centers”, which will be open 24/7 and properly equipped to serve as mini hospitals for emergency cases.