DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 January)—Only five out of 182 barangays in Davao City have an active Barangay Mosquito-Borne Viral Disease Task Force.
Dr. Thomas Miguel Ababon, head of the City Health Office, said at the iSpeak media forum at City Hall Thursday that mosquito-borne task forces in the city “seems difficult to sustain” despite their continuous calls to the barangays.
He also observed that the five barangays had only few dengue cases. But Ababon had not divulged which barangays have an “active” task force against dengue cases.
City Ordinance No. 0401-20, Series of 2020 was passed by the City Council to mandate barangays to create a Barangay Mosquito-Borne Viral Disease Task Force, and also to penalize individuals found to have mosquito breeding sites in their homes, in an attempt to combat dengue.
The CHO reported a total of 6,252 confirmed dengue cases in 2023, around 66 percent higher than the previous year’s record of 3,758 confirmed cases.
Casualties caused by dengue also increased from 21 deaths in 2022 to 51 recorded deaths in 2023.
“We have budget for these chemicals used for dengue, used for fogging, misting …. But [we have difficulties due to] the size of the city and the numerous areas for fogging and misting),” Ababon said.
He also said that they are collaborating with the Department of Health (DOH)–Davao Region to equip barangay health workers and personnel on the basics and necessities in combating the disease through refresher seminars and similar activities to prevent the rise of dengue cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes dengue as a viral infection transmitted through mosquito bites. The disease has various serotypes, including dengue virus types (DENV) 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Among the signs exhibited by a dengue victim include sudden onset of high fever which may last from two to seven days, joint and muscle pain and pain behind the eyes, weakness, skin rashes, nose bleeding when fever starts to subside, abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-colored matter, dark-colored stools, and difficulty of breathing. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
