State hospitals must provide free treatment to flood evacuees – DOH

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - All government hospitals in Metro Manila have been ordered to provide free medical treatment to flood victims still in evacuation centers to prevent a possible disease outbreak, the Department of Health’s Center for Health Development-National Capital Region office said.

“Let us not be complacent. If someone has a fever, seek medical help as soon as possible so that proper medicine will be provided and the illness will not be spread among other evacuees,” said DOH-NCR head Dr. Eduardo Janairo.

According to him, transmission of diseases like fever and colds are likely to occur in overcrowded shelters if not prevented immediately.

Jairo said those who are sick should go to the nearest government medical facility to seek treatment.

“Let us help prevent the spread of diseases and avert possible transmissions. Seek early consultation and treatment. Prevention is the still the best cure,” said Janairo, adding that the DOH will be shouldering the expenses of flood victims.

Close to 800,000 people have been displaced by continuous torrential rains that battered the capital and some parts of Luzon early this week. Around half of these vicitms are now crammed in evacutation centers and temporary shelters.

Aside from free medical treatment, the DOH will also provide patients with a number of essential drugs such as paracetamol, amoxicillin, cotrimoxazole, lagundi, sambong and leptospirosis (doxycycline) capsules. For pregnant women and children below eight years old, ampicillin capsules will be given instead of doxycyline, according to Janairo.

The DOH-NCR  earlier distributed leptospirosis drugs to all local government units in the capital to avert a possible outbreak of the disease which recorded a 125-percent increase from January to July this year owing to floods similar to those in Cagayan de Oro and Ilagan in December 2011.

 

 

 

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