Medical practitioners in Baguio City and Benguet have expressed concern over the increasing cases of dengue which also require blood transfusion.
Norelyn Aspiras, blood program coordinator at the City Health Services Office, hopes the rise in dengue cases would have the accompanying increase in blood donation.
She said supply at the different blood banks in the city has been insufficient and even dropped when the pandemic struck.
“Kulang na kulang po ang supply natin at baka lalong magkaproblema lalo at nakikita natin ang pagtaas ng dengue kung saan may mga pasyente na nangangailangan ng blood transfusion,” she said.
She said they do not stop informing the public on the importance of blood donation. They also conduct mass blood donation activities to encourage donation among the public.
Aspiras said with students in their homes, the usual blood donation activities in schools, which are the top sources of blood supply, have been stopped. “Please continue donating blood not only because your loved ones need it, but also because there are others who are in need,” she said.
The City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit reported Baguio logged 416 dengue cases from January 1 to July 17 this year which is over threefold than the 103 cases recorded on the same period in 2020.
CESU head Donnabel Tubera-Panes said they have recorded five deaths during the period and clustering of cases was seen in 15 barangays.
She said breeding thrive inside the homes, in clean water containers used by the family but are not covered properly.
The HSO earlier said they are reviving the 4 o’clock habit campaign to increase the residents’ awareness of the importance of cleanliness and eliminating possible breeding sites of mosquitoes.
In Benguet, the Provincial Health Office also reported a total of 483 cases in different areas from Jan. 1 to June 30 this year.
Provincial Health Officer Nora Ruiz said this is higher than the 255 cases during the same period last year.
She said clustering of cases was recorded in five barangays in Itogon; two barangays in Kabayan; four in La Trinidad; two in Mankayan, and one in Tuba. Three deaths were recorded.
With the spike in cases, the provincial government reactivated the Provincial Dengue Task Force created in 2019.
Gov. Melchor Diclas said the task force will come up with long-term policies that will be imposed in the province as a measure to address the recurring problem of dengue.
Baguio and Benguet, which are contiguous areas, saw that storage of water in drums, especially in areas where there is no regular supply, as the main reason for the spike in cases. – PNA
April 20, 2024
