DAILY STAR: Negros Oriental

Negros Oriental continues to show a downtrend in the number of dengue cases in the first three quarters of 2011, while the number of cases from 2008 to 2010 had shown a slight increase, Department of Health records show.

As of Sept. 7, the DOH-Negros Oriental provincial office reported that 313 cases with zero deaths had been recorded since January 1 this year, against 949 cases reported in the same period last year, with eight deaths, or 67 percent in this year compared to 2010 for the same period.

Dumaguete City remains in the list of top ten cities and towns in Negros Oriental having the highest number of dengue cases with 99 recorded as of last count. However, the number is a far cry from last year’s figure of 257 dengue cases recorded in this capital city within the same period.

Others in the top ten are Sibulan with 44 cases; Tanjay, 20; Siaton, 14; Pamplona and Valencia, 13 each; Amlan and Bais City, 11 each; while the rest of the towns and cities had less than ten except for Ayungon with zero cases.

In 2008, Negros Oriental recorded 1,201 dengue cases with six deaths, which climbed slightly in 2009 with 1,533 cases and five deaths. In 2010, the total number for the whole year was 1,799 with 11 deaths, DOH records show.*JFP ****

Meanwhile, a Sangguniang Panlalawigan member is vehemently opposed to the creation of a provincial anti-dengue task force saying it is a waste of money and an insult to the Department of Health whose mandate is to ensure the promotion of public health.

Board member Liland Estacion, main proponent of the measure said there is a need for the task force due to increasing cases of dengue in the province. Records showed that in 2009, there were 893 cases in the province, and this went up to 1,061 in 2010 and more were recorded this year due to the onset of the rainy season.

Estacion said the anti-dengue task force should be formed now rather than wait for an epidemic to come. During a public hearing, it was the concensus among participants, including doctors from three hospitals in Dumaguete, private sector, non-government organizations and different agencies in government , to pursue the creation of the anti-dengue task force to be headed by the governor.

The opposition came from SP Member Arnolfo Teves Jr. who insisted that its functions are already covered by the DOH including the awareness and information campaign.

Teves also said that the awareness campaigns on dengue is already going on in schools, and children are taught how to dispose of breeding places of dengue-carrying mosquitos.*JG