DOH-7 strengthens measles advocacy with new confirmed cases
By: Fayette C. Rinen
Cebu City, March 17 (PIA) - The Department of Health (DOH)-7 strengthens its advocacy campaign against the highly communicable disease as two new cases of measles have been confirmed in Central Visayas bringing to seven measles cases in the region since January this year.
DOH-7 Measles-Rubella campaign point person Dr. Nayda Bautista, bared the two new confirmed measles cases that surfaced in just one week came from Cebu.
“Just last week, only five confirmed measles cases were recorded but this week, two new cases were confirmed and both came from two highly-urbanized cities in Cebu,” according to Bautista during a recent PIA kapihan that tackled the measles disease.
The DOH is tripling its advocacy efforts against measles as some regions in the country are declaring an outbreak of the disease.
Measles is a highly communicable viral disease and can be spread through droplets from one person to the other by sneezing, coughing and close personal contact.
Manifestations of measles include generalized blotchy rash, lasting for three or more days, fever, and cough or runny nose.
“Outbreaks have already been declared in the National Capital Region and Regions 4, 9 and 11,” Bautista revealed.
Bautista however, said the incidence of measles in the region has declined compared to last year’s figure from January to mid-March where there were 10 confirmed cases.
Due to the rising incidence of measles in some parts of the country, the DOH is undertaking a one-month measles house-to-house vaccination campaign for children less than eight years old.
Bautista said they are targeting 1.4M children to be vaccinated in the region as the total target nationwide is 14M children.
“Next week, the measles vaccines for Cebu and Negros Oriental will arrive while for the region, a total of 140,000 vials are allocated,” Bautista revealed.
The DOH-7 official said one vial is equivalent to 10 doses while the cost per dose is pegged at P95.
Although one to four years old age bracket are the most vulnerable to develop measles, Bautista said the highly communicable disease does not spare adults as some cases last year were more than 20 years old.
“Measles now afflict adults and those with low resistance or immuno-compromised are the highly susceptible to develop the disease,” Bautista declared.
Bautista on the other hand, said that there are cases that even after the vaccination, one can still develop the disease.
“This is because our vaccines only have 85 percent efficacy while the remaining 15 percent results to vaccine failure,” she added.
Bautista on the other hand, said all preparations are in order for next month’s measles vaccination drive as she asked local government units to provide transportation support to the teams that will conduct the house-to-house immunization campaign. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)
2011 search for outstanding government workers on
By: Hazel F. Gloria
Cebu City, March 17 (PIA)—The Civil Service Commission (CSC) announces the opening of the 2011 Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees.
This year’s search is anchored on the theme, “Hero ang Public Servant” to highlight the heroism and sacrifices of our country’s state workers despite the numerous challenges of public service.
The annual search for public exemplars is handled by the CSC’s Honor Awards Program (HAP) Secretariat.
Three kinds of awards categories are at stake, namely: the Presidntial or Lingkod Bayan Award, the Outstanding Public Official and Employee or the Dangal ng Bayan Award and the CSC Pagasa Award.
The conferment of the awards form part of CSC’s advocacy of promoting a culture of excellence and recognizing and rewarding women and men for outstanding work performance; contribution and superior accomplishments or for consistent manifestation of exemplary ethical behavior in the public service.
The nomination forms and the enhanced program guidelines can be downloaded at the CSC website www.csc.gov.ph.
Deadline for submission of nominations is on March 31, 2011. (PIA-7/HFG)
Over 30% of women in Central Visayas
use modern family planning methods
By: Fayette C. Rinen
Cebu City, March 17 (PIA) - Over 30 percent of women in Central Visayas use the modern family planning methods as the Department of Health (DOH)-7 continues its advocacy programs on Family Planning giving emphasis on informed choice for couples to decide.
“Thirty-six percent of women in the region use modern family planning methods including contraceptives,” according to the DOH-7 Family Planning Coordinator Dr. Lutgardia Herbias.
The contraceptive prevalence rate in Central Visayas is that two to four women out of 10 use modern methods in family planning, Herbias added.
But Herbias said that their education drive consists of giving the couples sufficient and accurate information on family planning methods either natural or modern means.
As debates on the highly-controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Bill continues with the Catholic Church highly opposing it describing such measure as anti-life, the DOH-7 maintained that the advocacy on family planning is more on the medical intervention aspect rather than population control.
“We’d like to stress that our advocacy on family planning programs which include the use of modern family planning methods including contraceptives is more on the medical intervention especially women with existing diseases and not as a means to control the population,” Herbias emphasized as she admitted that population control is an indirect result to family planning.
Herbias said that the rising incidence of maternal deaths in the country is increasing and that we are far from reaching our objective of reducing it to an acceptable level as mandated under the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of which the Philippines is a signatory.
Under the MDGs, the Philippines has until 2015 to decrease the maternal mortality rate to 52 deaths per 100,000 population. “Currently, our record shows that we have 162 maternal deaths per 100,000population,” Herbias said and added that chances of achieving the objective of decreasing maternal deaths to 52 cases in four years time is slim.
The DOH-7 official said birth spacing is essential in promoting the health of mothers which is also part of their education component under family planning.
Herbias said that local government units in the region have also availed of the DOH funding on family planning programs.
“I know that Cebu Province availed of P10M and Bohol P8M while Negros Oriental got P7M and P1M for Siquijor,” Herbias disclosed. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)
Regular situation updates from PHL posts abroad vital to contingency planning
Manila, March 17 (PIA) – Regular assessments and situation updates from Philippine embassies and consulates abroad, especially in countries struck by disasters and experiencing political unrest are important tools of government to come up with prompt action and appropriate contingency plan for Filipinos overseas.
Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, stated this in reaction to the latest directive of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the re-imposition of the travel ban to Bahrain less than a week after Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) lifted the deployment ban of Filipino workers to the country.
“We see the necessity of conducting regular assessment of the situations in many countries hosting Filipino workers. This regular monitoring by our embassies and consulates is vital not only in the issuance of warnings, including travel and employment ban, but also in contingency planning,” Legarda added.
She said, these contingency plans are to be reviewed and updated as the situation warrants. In the same light, the government, through the DFA, DOLE, POEA, and OWWA, need to assess the situation of other countries where travel bans are issued and to determine if the lifting of such bans, per the parameters mandated by the Migrant Workers Act, is in order.
Early last week, Legarda, through Senate Resolution 417, called on various government agencies to assess their preparedness in ensuring the safety of the Filipinos residing and working abroad in response to the events that happened in Libya and the aftermath of the New Zealand earthquake.
“Given the scale of Filipino migration, where at least 10% of our population reside or work overseas, every natural or man-made calamity abroad is inevitably a national concern,” Legarda concluded. (PIA-7/Minerva BC Newman & reports from the Office of Senator Legarda)