Legarda lamented on the IPs died in cholera outbreak; urged DOH to control the disease in Palawan

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 17, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Committee on Cultural Communities lamented on the indigenous people who died due to cholera outbreak where the majority of the children were affected in Palawan; thus, the Senator urged the Department of Health (DOH) to act swiftly by intensifying effective disease surveillance, control and prevention measures as the death toll continues to rise.

“The DOH should act swiftly in pointing out the exact source of the disease,” Legarda said, adding that the Cholera disease is preventable and easy to treat. It did not have to lead to the morbidity of a significant number of people, saying that this is an indication of the lack of proper medical services and health education being provided to our indigenous communities.

A cholera outbreak was declared by DOH in the entire town of Bataraza, Palawan, when 17 out of its 22 barangays showed cases of diarrhea, a symptom of cholera, along with severe stomach pains and vomiting. The DOH monitored at least 430 cases of diarrhea in the province, a majority of the patients tested positive for vibrio cholera, a bacterium which causes cholera in humans.

As of April 13, a total of 19 people have been killed by the disease from March 1 to April 12, 2011 according to DOH, saying that following this number, at least 7 out of 10 were children under 5 years old.

 “These numbers are alarming. What is more painful is that the deaths could have been prevented if early detection, control and remedial measures were immediately done,” Legarda said.

Legarda stressed the importance of having health workers in every barangay in the country to ensure that even those in far-flung communities can avail of proper medical attention in their respective localities. “Health workers presence is needed in the barangay for their safety,” she said.

“There is a need for the government to address this concerned,” Legarda furthered, saying that she proposed measure filed in the Senate (Senate Bill 1384) that seeks to mandate the Department of Health to provide at least one health worker in every barangay.

The Senator concluded that our indigenous brothers and sisters who live in far-flung areas need to have access to medical services. They also need to be informed of proper sanitation practices and emergency response.

There is also a need to squeeze out concern over the consequences of climate change that affects the lives of the IP who are threatened by extreme weather events brought by climate change as they are more vulnerable to their livelihood, health, food security, cultural integrity and lands. (Jason de Asis)