Concerted Efforts to Break Dengue Cycle

ILOILO CITY, The provincial government has heightened its preparations and readiness in combating dengue amid the onset of the rainy season, an official said Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, during the celebration of the ASEAN Dengue Day at the provincial capitol, dengue is the current health priority and Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. is hands-on when it comes to awareness and prevention programs. “We can break the cycle of dengue. As we know, this is a mosquito-borne communicable disease. We can break the cycle if we have concerted efforts – a provincewide awareness program and a program to eliminate the breeding places of mosquitoes,” he said.

The preparations include the relaunching of the provincewide Limpyo (clean) Iloilo two weeks ago to increase awareness of the preventive aspect of dengue, or the elimination of potential breeding places of mosquitoes. Limpyo Iloilo is a convergence effort that was first launched in 2020 when dengue cases reached 22,000 cases with 73 deaths in 2019. The province-wide campaign led to reduced cases, with 207 in 2021, 486 in 2022, and 2,997 in 2023.

Banias said health officers are also preparing their facility at the Iloilo Sports Complex in case of a surge in dengue cases. He added that the provincial government will also convene its defense cluster to assess the current preparations and fill the necessary gaps. Meanwhile, Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon, chief of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office, said current dengue cases are still at a manageable level. In a presentation, she said the province has recorded 1,110 cases with four deaths from Jan. 1 up to June 8, with all local government units reporting cases.

Quiñon reminded the public of the 5S advocacy – search and destroy breeding places, seek early consultation, self-protection, say yes to fogging, and sustained hydration – and urged them not to take these measures for granted.