LEGAZPI CITY, July 30 (PNA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) regional office in Bikol has declared the entire province of Sorsogon as malaria and filariasis free province.
Dr. Noli Arevalo, team leader of the Department of Health-Provincial Health Team (DOH-PHT), said the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC) has conducted thorough validation and evaluation regarding the control program on malaria and filarial in Sorsogon.
Arevalo said that their efforts to combat these diseases that threatened the lives and dampened productivity of several individuals in the province since 1950's, have finally been rewarded.
"We thank the DOH for recognizing our sustained efforts and partnerships to curb these diseases, and are likewise grateful to the provincial government for making health among its priority agenda, and our non-governmental organization (NGO) partners for their commitment and support in eliminating these diseases even before our target year in 2010," he said.
He also cited the local health workers, who in the past years have carried out house-to-house campaigns and mass drug administration (MDA) for residents aged two and above in order to control the spread of these diseases.
Out of the 40 provinces in the country, only Southern Leyte and Sorsogon has been declared malaria and filariasis free.
Arevalo said Sorsogon has attained the level based on the parameter of DOH wherein these diseases are no longer considered a public threat.
He said based on the recent assessment means that only less than one percent of the entire population is affected by Filariasis, adding that the province has also maintained a zero case of indigenous malaria transmission over the past five years.
"However, such scenario does not mean we have to sit back, instead, perhaps work harder to prevent the recurrence of the diseases among locals," he stressed.
"We are looking forward that Sorsogon can achieve the international standard to be malaria and filariasis free province set by the World Health Organization (WHO)," he said.
Arevalo also advised the residents of Gubat, Pto. Diaz, Barcelona, Casiguran, Irosin, Juban, Donsol and Sta. Magdalena towns to take extra precautions and maintain a good environmental sanitation to assure there will be of recurrence of these diseases.
Malaria and Filariasis are both mosquito-borne parasitic diseases and endemic in these areas, mostly with abaca and banana plantations.
Malaria can cause fever, shivering, joint pain, vomiting, anemia, and convulsions to persons with the disease, while Filaria is debilitating and disfiguring which primarily affects children, women and men living in endemic remote areas.
"The PHT will continue our massive information drive, monitoring and surveillance, partnership with the DOH and conduct border operations in order to sustain the elimination of these infective diseases," he said.
DOH conferred to Sorsogon province a certificate of recognition and P1 million for successfully eradicating malaria and filaria diseases.
Arevalo noted the cash reward will be utilized anew on advocacy campaigns and other measures to prevent the re-emergence of these diseases. (PNA)