PNP to assist DOH amid dengue epidemic

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said an order was already issued to make all police hospitals ready for possible influx of patients, including policemen and their dependents. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday ordered its Health Service to assist the Department of Health (DOH) amid the surge in the number of dengue cases in the country.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said an order was already issued to make all police hospitals ready for possible influx of patients, including policemen and their dependents.

“We have not received any report so far that policemen and their dependents were affected by dengue. But we are now making actions for prevention because once dengue affected any member of the policemen’s family, this would definitely affect their job,” Banac told reporters in a press briefing on Wednesday.

“So our Chief PNP (Gen. Oscar Albayalde) has already ordered our commanders to render assistance to local health units and hospitals for public awareness program, and to monitor the health condition of all police personnel,” he stressed.

Banac said that part of the preparation is to ensure the adequate supply of blood for transfusion and other medicines needed to treat dengue patients.

“All PNP personnel and dependents are encouraged to go to Regional Health Service units for consultation,” Banac said.

Banac also said police personnel are ready to donate blood for civilian patients.

He noted that police hospitals could accommodate civilian dengue patients for emergency treatment and they will be later transferred to regular hospitals.

“We only have limited spaces in PNP hospitals. For emergency cases, they can go to the nearest PNP hospital,” he said.

Albayalde also ordered all police commanders to monitor the health condition of all policemen and their dependents amid the declaration of national dengue epidemic in the country.

Following the DOH’s declaration of a national dengue epidemic, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año has also enjoined all local government units (LGUs) to act swiftly in preventing dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases by implementing the Enhanced 4S Strategy in their areas.

“Enhanced 4S” stands for (1) search and destroy breeding sites; (2) seek early consultation; (3) self-protection; and (4) say Yes to fogging only in hotspot areas where an increase in dengue cases is registered for two consecutive weeks.

At the community level, all mayors and barangay officials are urged to spearhead the following activities:

-Activate the Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue.

-Synchronize the conduct of the 4 o’clock habit or the simultaneous cleaning of the household and community surroundings, getting rid of stagnant water and other mosquito-breeding sites, and conduct of measures to prevent water stagnation every day, starting at 4 p.m.

-Facilitate chemical intervention, such as spraying and larvicide application or the regular application of microbial or chemical insecticides to water bodies or water containers to kill mosquito larvae and pupae.

-Encourage residents to observe early consultation.

He said the gravity of the dengue situation prompts us to work closely together because the health of our people is at stake.

The DILG Chief said the local government officials are therefore advised to coordinate with their respective DOH Regional Office (Center for Health Development) in carrying out initiatives to prevent dengue. It is also necessary to reproduce and disseminate DOH information materials about dengue to inform and alert the public on how they can help prevent the spread of the disease in their respective communities.

“To ensure that those afflicted with dengue will be well taken cared of, LGUs should oversee the preparedness of Rural Health Units (RHUS) and LGU-operated hospitals and ensure the availability of adequate logistics in the local health facilities, such as Oresol, non-structural protein 1 based rapid diagnostic tests (NS1 RDT), larvicides and medicines. Ambulances should also be at the ready to provide emergency transport for patients during referrals,” Año said in a statement.

He added that at this time when a lot of lives are endangered by dengue, there is no room for LGUs to be lax or negligent.

“I, therefore, urge our local government officials to take into heart the mandate of the Local Government Code that every LGU shall ensure and support, among other things, the promotion of health and safety and preserve the comfort and convenience of their constituents,” said Año.