MABALACAT CITY – An outbreak of dengue has been noted in Barangay Dau here which recorded the highest number of incidents in the whole Central Luzon region with more than 500 cases.
This was revealed during a forum conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) Region III at the Fontana Convention Center in nearby Clark Freeport over the weekend. This developed as the number of dengue cases in the region decreased by 50 percent as compared to last year, while the number of cases in the province decreased by 60 percent.
According to the DOH’s Disease Surveillance Report, there were 19,345 recorded cases in the region in 2012 while only 9,198 were recorded so far this year.
The DOH also recorded 44 deaths in 2012 while only 22 died of dengue for the first eight months of this year.
Dengue cases in the region last year were second only to the cases recorded in the National Capital Region which has 23,957 cases. Barangay Dau has the highest number of cases in the province.
According to witnesses who were in the health forum, Dau Barangay Captain Atlas Morales was seen talking and even laughing unmindful of the “highly disturbing” report concerning his barangay. “Parang sosyalan ang dating sa kanya ng forum. Wala siyang pakialam sa delubyo ng dengue sa kanyang mga nasasakupan (He took the forum for some social affair, unmindful of the dengue scourge hitting his constituents),” a medical worker said.
A number of Dau residents who claimed to have members of their families afflicted by dengue complained of the “permanent absence” of Morales whenever they called on him for help.
“Lagi na lang po kaming sinasabihan na kasama ng tatay niya si Kapitan sa Baguio o kung saan-saan, nung makailang beses kaming pumunta sa barangay para humingi ng tulong (We are always told that our village chief is with his father in Baguio or someplace else in the number of times we went to the barangay hall for help),” said a resident of Sitio Talimundok who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal.
The Dau barangay chief is the son of Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales. Meanwhile, DOH III Regional Director Leonita P. Gorgolon emphasized the need to strengthen the community’s awareness on the mortality and morbidity rate of dengue in the region and in the province. She also underscored the prevention and control of dengue in Central Luzon through the intensified advocacy campaigns.
Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag of the National Dengue Prevention and Control explained the anti-dengue advocacy campaign “STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN, ABKD Pagtibayin!”
It entails to “STOP” every 4 pm and shift current task for mosquito control, “LOOK” for the breeding sites of dengue- carrying mosquitoes and destroy them, “LISTEN” to the instructions from local authorities and community leaders for a synchronous implementation of the 4 o’clock habit, and join “Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue” activities.
