To further strengthen the fight against dengue in the city, the City Government of Davao issued a memorandum mandating all 182 barangays of the city to create their Barangay Mosquito-Borne Diseases Task Force (BMDTF).
Melodina Babante, coordinator of the Tropical Diseases Prevention and Control Unit of the City Health Office (CHO), said that out of the 182 barangays, only 32 barangays have a BMDTF.
She said the creation of the BMDTF will help “prevent incidences of dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases that are rampant during rainy season.”
Babante, during the ISpeak Media Forum on Thursday said the memorandum is in line with City Ordinance 0401-20 series of 2020, or the Davao City Mosquito-Borne Diseases Prevention and Control Program, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations stipulated under Executive Order No. 25, series of 2023.
Babante said her office recorded a decrease in the number of confirmed dengue cases as from January to June 2024 with 2,117 confirmed cases compared to the 2,876 cases in the same months last year.
“Naa’y medyo gamay nga decrease sa cases, but mao na’y ginaingon nga dili gyud nato kompyansahan because (in the) previous months, hot season man gud siya, so dry season so mura’g gamay ang mga lamok nga nangabuhi gyud ato na time (Although there is a minimal decrease in the cases, we should not let our guard down because the decrease is connected to the dry season we experienced in the previous months),” she said.
“But now, since last week of May up to now naa ta’y ginatawag nga La Niña, ga-ulan pirmi so expected gyud nga magtaas atoang kaso sa dengue diri sa Davao City if ang tanan, ang atoa especially ang atoang communities dili sila musupport ug tabang sa intervention and prevention sa kana nga problem (However, since the last week of May until now, the La Niña began to set in, and we’ve been experiencing lots of rain. We expect an increase in the number of dengue cases in Davao City, especially if the community does not support the interventions and prevention of the problem),” she said.
Babante emphasized the need for the creation of a dengue task force in the barangays as one way of ensuring that the community cooperates in the city government’s intervention and prevention efforts.
She added that in line with the memorandum released on July 1, the CHO is planning to conduct another forum with the barangay captains to discuss the process of structuring a BMDTF. They also plan to discuss the rationale behind the creation of the BMDTF to emphasize its importance especially in properly addressing dengue cases.
The memorandum also mandates barangays to coordinate with the Tropical Diseases Unit of the CHO for the conduct of intensified Information and Education Campaign in their areas.
The CHO continues to urge the barangays and all Dabawenyos to practice the 4S strategies which includes searching and destroying possible mosquito breeding sites; practice self-protective measures; seeking early medical consultation, and supporting indoor and outdoor spraying and fogging activities.
Dabawenyos are also urged to cooperate with the CHO’s intervention and prevention efforts against dengue. CIO
