DepEd, DOH team up to fight dengue in schools

The Departments of Education and Health will team up in fighting dengue in schools to protect the protect school children from the disease. Radio dzBB on Monday reported DOH Director Yolanda Oliveros said officials from both departments will visit schools starting this week to check the programs they are implementing against dengue. “Itong linggong ito maaring magkaroon ng pagbisita sa schools si Sec. (Enrique) Ona at maaring kasama si (Education Sec. Armin) Luistro. Aalalahanan din ang guro sila ang mag-lead sa bata sa kampanyang ito (This week there may be visits by Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Education Secretary Armin Luistro to schools. They will remind teachers to lead the way in taking preventive measures)," she said in an interview aired Monday on dzBB radio. The DOH said earlier that 78 percent of cases belong to the 1 to 20-years old age bracket and reminded parents to be vigilant because the fatality rate is greater than one percent in that age group. The DOH reminded the public that the most cost-effective way to fight dengue is to keep the surroundings clean. The DOH urged people to "search and destroy" the breeding places of dengue-carrying mosquitoes. Last weekend, Ona visited schools in Bacolod City in Negros Occidental to check on the dengue situation there. Ona promised that his department would help local governments in taking precautions against dengue. Earlier, National Epidemiology Center head Dr. Eric Tayag said there have been at least 48,000 dengue cases recorded so far this year, with the cases likely to reach 80,000 before the year ends. DOH also said trends have changed and dengue is no longer just a "rainy season disease" as cases are being reported nationwide throughout the year. "It's not just concentrated in NCR. In fact, it's all over the country," DOH Head Executive Assistant Dr. Yolanda Oliveros said, adding that the DOH is closely watching the dengue fatality rate to make sure it does not double in the coming months. –VVP, GMANews.TV