Urgent passage of Anti- Dengue Bill pressed

As a number of dengue cases continues to increase with the onset of the rainy season, a party-list lawmaker is urging Congress to expedite the passage of Anti-Dengue Bill.

Ako Bikol Rep. Rodel Batocabe is pushing for immediate approval of the House Bill 5364, whose main purpose is to mandate local government units, communities, households, business establishments and schools to participate in the nationwide campaign against dengue.

"This has been a perennial problem in our country, and we've put so much effort on solving the issue, but we still end up with several deaths every year," Batocabe said.

The Department of Health said that there are 9, 060 dengue cases with 39 deaths in Metro Manila alone, which is five percent higher compared to the 8,564 cases during the same period last year.
Several cities in metropolis have already been declared "hot spots" by the DOH.

The bill seeks to mandate LGUs and other groups to actively participate in the nationwide program against dengue through a community-based National Dengue Prevention and Control Program in endemic areas.

It also seeks to strengthen existing policies that are already being implemented by the DOH and LGUs.

"The bill engages private individuals, households and business establishments, so it's more proactive measure than a reactive one. Preventive measures are key to addressing the problem; we don't want to wait for another victim to die," he said.

The bill also promotes preventive measures including cleanliness of surroundings, personal hygiene, awareness of symptoms, and active reporting of possible incidents of dengue.

Batocabe also proposed a multi-agency and multi-sectoral effort aimed at institutionalizing regular clean up activities, consultations at health centers, information campaigns and other preventive measures. - doh.gov.ph — ARA