Home Headlines Duque underscores vigilance, caution against dengue

Duque underscores vigilance, caution against dengue

715
0
SHARE

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The value of always being vigilant and cautious are an effective means to avoid contracting dengue infection, according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

If early symptoms of dengue are neglected, it can lead to more serious complications including macro hemorrhages or bleeding of the brain, he said.

Excessive bleeding will cause the water in the body to drain, causing heart inflammation, kidney damage, encephalopathy and continuous drop in platelet counts.

By then, it is too late to save the patient, he added.

“Given this fact, there is a need for parents to be alert. We need to guard our children. We need to increase the time we dedicate to our children,” Duque said during the Provincial Dengue Summit held at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here last week.

The DOH exec also cited that with or without the Dengvaxia vaccine, the threat of dengue is permanent in the lives of every Filipino, thus, prevention is the ultimate solution to eradicate the virus.

“When we say prevention, we mean health promotion and disease prevention. We must be healthy. We must not abuse our bodies because those who contract dengue infection are usually those with weak immune system, like those who have indiscriminate dietary intake or those who lack vitamins and minerals. That is why it is necessary for us to strengthen our immune system so we can have resistance against this deadly disease,” the health secretary said.

Duque also said we cannot simply rely on the dengue immunization program against dengue since it has low protection rate of only about 60 percent on the average.

“Aside from the vaccine, we must follow the 4S: seek early consultation; search and destroy; self-protective measures; and say yes to selective fogging (or fogging only when there is a community outbreak),” he pointed out.

Duque added that “since dengue has grossed its seasonality, DOH has made its campaign against dengue an all year round instead of being a seasonal campaign.”

He called on the public to bond together and establish a clear communication and coordination with the DOH, the Department of Education and local government units in order to succeed in the campaign against dengue.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here