DoH warns vs hot weather diseases

By Red Mendoza

March 22, 2023 160

(UPDATE) THE Department of Health (DoH) has reminded the public to be extra careful to avoid diseases such as heat stroke, skin diseases and other common health problems associated with the dry season.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has officially declared the start of the "dry" season, which is characterized by warm temperatures in different parts of the country.

In a media briefing on Tuesday, Health Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the onset of the dry season will lead to health problems such as heat stroke.

She urged people who will go outside to wear hats or use umbrellas and avoid going out between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

"We should not go outside of our homes during that time, but if we really have to go out, we should wear hats or bring umbrellas," Vergeire said.

She also urged the public to apply sun protection lotions for additional protection, and to drink enough water to prevent dehydration and heat exhaustion.

The official reminded those who will go to resorts to ensure that the water in the swimming pools are clean and free of bacteria.

"You can get ear infections, eye infections in these resorts that are not checked or are filthy. You can also get gastrointestinal disease," Vergeire said.

She called on local government units to inspect resorts if they follow the appropriate standards on water safety, quality and cleanliness.

Over 200 kids infected with RSV – DoH

DoH Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire. PHOTO BY RYAN BALDEMOR

By Red Mendoza November 6, 2022 

THE Department of Health (DoH) has advised parents and children against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) after it was found that more than 200 children have been infected in the country with the disease.

This comes after the United States reported an increase in RSV cases among school-age children in the country, which is heavily affecting their health care systems capacity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a briefing on Friday, DoH Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the country has a surveillance system for RSV which is maintained by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

She said based on the monitoring of sentinel hospitals from January 1 to August 31, there were 221 cases of RSV cases in children, with no reported fatality from the virus.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, RSV is a "common respiratory virus" that causes mild, cold-like symptoms. It can be transmitted through airborne viral droplets from infected individuals.

Among the symptoms of RSV infection are fever, colds, runny nose, decrease in appetite and coughing, which could lead to breathing difficulties.

RSV does not only infect young children but can also infect older people and can cause severe disease in high-risk individuals such as senior citizens.

A vaccine for RSV is under development by Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, and is now under phase three clinical trials.

Vergeire said that RSV is a "self-limiting" virus, which means that a patient will recover from the disease without any form of medicine.

She urged parents to keep their children healthy and also to follow preventive measures such as getting vaccinated for other respiratory diseases.

"Our elderly are also vulnerable to this disease, so we urge them to take care of themselves," Vergeire added.

DoH braces for disease outbreaks

By Red Mendoza November 3, 2022 

Residents of Barangay San Juan-1 remove debris of thick mud from their houses due to deep flooding brought on by Typhoon Paeng in Noveleta, Cavite, on 31 October 2022. (PHOTO: MIKE ALQUINTO)

THE Department of Health (DoH) braced for an outbreak of diseases following the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm "Paeng" (International name: "Nalgae").

DH Epidemiology Bureau director, Dr. Alethea de Guzman, said that with many families staying in evacuation centers, officials expect outbreaks of respiratory and flu-like cases, vector-borne disease ssuch as dengue and chikungunya, measles and rubella, skin diseases, and noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension.

She said that the DoH has prepared health education and promotion materials to prevent these diseases and prepositioned logisitics such as doxycycline for post-exposure prophylaxis; aquatabs; Campolas or Cotraximole, Amoxicillin, Mefenamic Acid, Paracetamol, Oral rehydration salts, Vitamin A, and Skin ointment; and hygiene kits.

Health Emergency Management Bureau director Dr. Bernadette Velasco said that prior to the landfall of Paeng, the DoH prepositioned nearly P104.72 million worth of assorted drugs, medicines, medical supplies and commodities.

Velasco said that the DoH has deployed nearly P7 million worth of medicines, medical supplies and hygiene kits to Western Visayas, in Mandurriao, Iloilo, and to the Ministry of Health of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to Maguindanao Province and Cotabato City. 

In Tacloban City, a cholera outbreak killed five and afflicted 426 others, the DoH regional office said.

Of the 426 suspected cholera cases, 34 have been confirmed through the department's rapid diagnostic testing, Jelyn Lopez-Malibago, DoH regional information officer, said in a phone interview.

At least 213 individuals have been confined in public and private hospitals in the past two weeks.Confirmed deaths from severe diarrhea include a 12-year-old boy from Santo Niño village; a three-month-old boy from Abucay village; a 71-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman, both from Calvary Hill; and a three-month-old girl from Santo Niño village. Cases were also recorded in the villages of Palanog, San Roque, Diit, New Kawayan, downtown area, San Jose district, Utap, and Calanipawan.

Among the top diseases reported in evacuation centers in Western Visayas were skin diseases and open wounds and bruises, while the top diseases reported in hospitals in the same region were acute and upper respiratory infections and acute gastroenteritis.

Velasco gave assurances that there are enough medicines and other commodities to be deployed in the affected areas, while telemedicine services are also available through the DoH's partners or the National Patient Navigation and Referral Center (formerly the One Hospital Command Center).

Govt urged to create programs for elderly

By Red Mendoza, Manila Ti,es

October 6, 2022

In this file photo thousands of delegates from different cities in Metro Manila participates on DSWD's Filipino elderly week at SM Mall of Asia. File Photo

THE Commission on Population and Development (PopCom) has urged the government to create programs for an increasing aging Filipino population before the end of the decade.

This comes as the country is experiencing an increasing number of aging Filipinos, with the current aging growth rate now hovering at an average of 3.5 percent over the past 10 years, according to the University of the Philippines-Population Institute.

The figures were given by former PopCom executive director Dr. Juan Manuel Perez 3rd, who represented the country in a conference in Bangkok, Thailand during the International Day of Older Persons.

He said in the conference that while older Filipino women outlive their male counterparts, they are the ones who contend with diseases and disabilities.

"More than half (57 percent) struggle with their daily living and have mobility issues. About 56 percent of them are already widowed, while 70 percent of males are either still married or have partners, and are very much physically active," Perez said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said that senior citizens now comprise 8.5 percent of the total Philippine population, or around 9.2 million individuals.

Executive Director Lolito Tacardon, PopCom officer in charge, urged the institutionalization of comprehensive programs on health for seniors, especially those who are living by themselves.

PopCom projects that by 2030, 11 percent of the total population will be 60 years old and above, and will outnumber children ages 0 to 4 years old.

"Preventive programs to avoid diseases leading to disabilities should be in place. Our local health system should likewise be more decentralized," Tacardon said in a statement.

He added that while the government has implemented programs for long-term care for senior citizens, such as the programs by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, it should be brought down to the community level to address disabilities made by senior citizens.

"For those to be effective, local government units should be more active in widening the scope of our health systems' services, or revisit those already operationalized to elevate their effectiveness," Tacardon said.

He said that the commission will work with legislators, local policymakers and government leaders to create socioeconomic and health policies that are targeted for the elderly as a way of "manifesting their care for Filipinos in all stages of their lives."

Climate change, now a risk factor for heart disease – expert

 

By Red Mendoza, Sunday Times

October 2, 2022

CLIMATE change is now one of the cases of having cardiovascular disease, according to a leading heart expert.

This comes as the Philippine Department of Health (DoH) has joined forces with the World Health Organization and other partners to strengthen their collaboration against numerous cases of cardiovascular diseases.

In an event recently held in Taguig City, Professor Fausto Pinto, president of the World Heart Federation, said that air pollution is now emerging as one of the main causes of heart disease, which is one of the top causes of death across the globe.

"Air pollution is responsible for around seven million deaths per year, and one of the systems that air pollution that has a significant impact is the cardiovascular system, so that is one area that we are ensuring that we can tackle this global problem," Pinto said.

Pinto emphasized that there is now evidence to support the claim that air pollution and climate change can, from a physiological standpoint, affect the cells in the respiratory system that is also linked with the cardiovascular system.

He said that they are now working on developing strategies on how to reduce the impact of air pollution and climate change, noting that this link between the phenomenon and cardiovascular diseases is "worrying."

Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, director of noncommunicable diseases of the World Health Organization, said that every country in the world has the "tools and protocol-based treatment that is available for the population."

"If you provide prevention and treatment, we will be able to save millions of lives and secure prosperity for countries," Mikkelsen said.

Mikkelsen said that worldwide, less than 50 percent of all heart disease detections are not diagnosed, and 40 percent of them manage their heart disease due to the high cost of out-of-pocket spending for medicines.