CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The director of the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon expressed yesterday “serious concern” on the death here of a police trainee due to cerebral malaria which has been described as a “fatal form of malaria.”
“It is a serious case,” DOH regional director Dr., Rio Magpantay told Punto amid the confirmation by doctors from the Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC) that a police trainee in this province died from cerebral malaria last Sunday.
Magpantay urged the regional police headquarters at Camp Olivas to coordinate immediately with his office “so we can immediately take action.”
Noting that malaria can be transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito, Magpantay urged that areas where the victim had stayed be examined and cleaned.
Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac identified the victim as Nile El Chico Nieves who was pronounced dead at the Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC) in Angeles City at about 12:30 a.m. last Sunday. Personnel from the PNP Regional Training School in Magalang town had rushed him to the hospital.
Nieves collapsed during a formation drill at the said training school at about 3 p.m. last Saturday. He was immediately brought to Balitucan District Hospital in San Fernando and moved the following day to the Angeles hospital which had better medical equipment.
Doctors at the AUFMC said Nieves died of “cerebral malaria, masmodia and kidney failure.”
It will be recalled that in 2005, Reyster Langit, the son of well-known broadcaster Rey Langit, and two of his companions also died of cerebral malaria. They contracted the ailment while doing a video documentary on the same mosquito borne disease that had claimed the lives of tribal folk in a remote area in Palawan.
Symptoms of the disease manifested two weeks after their trip.
ScienceDaily.com, in an article last June 1, described cerebral malaria as “the most serious and life-threatening form of malaria, and results from problems with the vascular and immune systems.”
Cacdac said he has directed Senior Supt. Ervin Gumban, chief of the Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division (RIDMD) to investigate the case of Nieves, but his concern seemed more focused on whether the victim was “mishandled” during the training.
They said that while there is yet no vaccine against malaria. Its transmission can be reduced by preventing mosquito bites by distribution of inexpensive mosquito nets and insect repellents, or by mosquito-control measures such as spraying insecticides inside houses and draining standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs.
“It is a serious case,” DOH regional director Dr., Rio Magpantay told Punto amid the confirmation by doctors from the Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC) that a police trainee in this province died from cerebral malaria last Sunday.
Magpantay urged the regional police headquarters at Camp Olivas to coordinate immediately with his office “so we can immediately take action.”
Noting that malaria can be transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito, Magpantay urged that areas where the victim had stayed be examined and cleaned.
Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac identified the victim as Nile El Chico Nieves who was pronounced dead at the Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC) in Angeles City at about 12:30 a.m. last Sunday. Personnel from the PNP Regional Training School in Magalang town had rushed him to the hospital.
Nieves collapsed during a formation drill at the said training school at about 3 p.m. last Saturday. He was immediately brought to Balitucan District Hospital in San Fernando and moved the following day to the Angeles hospital which had better medical equipment.
Doctors at the AUFMC said Nieves died of “cerebral malaria, masmodia and kidney failure.”
It will be recalled that in 2005, Reyster Langit, the son of well-known broadcaster Rey Langit, and two of his companions also died of cerebral malaria. They contracted the ailment while doing a video documentary on the same mosquito borne disease that had claimed the lives of tribal folk in a remote area in Palawan.
Symptoms of the disease manifested two weeks after their trip.
ScienceDaily.com, in an article last June 1, described cerebral malaria as “the most serious and life-threatening form of malaria, and results from problems with the vascular and immune systems.”
Cacdac said he has directed Senior Supt. Ervin Gumban, chief of the Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division (RIDMD) to investigate the case of Nieves, but his concern seemed more focused on whether the victim was “mishandled” during the training.
They said that while there is yet no vaccine against malaria. Its transmission can be reduced by preventing mosquito bites by distribution of inexpensive mosquito nets and insect repellents, or by mosquito-control measures such as spraying insecticides inside houses and draining standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs.
