Health workers in Biliran conduct information campaign on meningococcemia

By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA, (PIA Biliran)
March 23, 2006

BALAQUID, Cabucgayan, Biliran  –  In order to allay fears of the residents of the place where the cause of death of a nine year-old boy was suspected to be a case of meningococcemia, health workers in the province of Biliran conducted a thorough information campaign inside the school campus of Balaquid Elementary School (BES).

It was reported that the nine year old victim is a pupil of the Balaquid Elementary School who died Sunday evening (March 19) at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) whose cause of death was suspected to be a case of meningococcemia.

The information campaign was facilitated by Dr. Gabino S. Velasquez III, Chief of the Technical Section of the Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH), Dr. Salvacion G. Salas, DOH Representative in Biliran province in coordination with Mayor Arnelito Garing of Cabucgayan, health workers of LGU Cabucgayan and BES administration and faculty.

The purpose of the information campaign was to inform the residents in the affected community about meningococcemia as a disease, transmission, symptoms, prevention and control and treatment.

Dr. Velasquez showed to the residents through a laptop presentation a more comprehensive facts about meningococcemia as bacterial disease and the signs and symptoms of person inflicted with the dreaded bacterial disease.

Dr. Velasquez also explained to the residents not to be afraid of the disease because it can be treated through prophylactic treatment or by taking antibiotics as the appropriate way to prevent from being inflicted with the disease.

He added that the disease will be prevented by observing proper personal hygiene and maintaining a clean environment.

On the other hand, Dr. Salas stressed that in order to prevent and control the disease, it is important to follow the health advisory on meningococcemia coming from the National Center for Health Promotion and National Center for Disease Prevention and Control which enumerated the following prevention and control guidelines: avoid crowded places, avoid close contacts with meningococcemia patients, increased resistance by having healthy diet, regular exercise, adequate rest and sleep, no alcohol and cigarette smoking, maintain a clean environment and surroundings, don’t share utensils or anything that has been in the mouth of an infected person and wash hands frequently with soap and water.

Meanwhile, all the pupils of BES were given with an oral dose of antibiotics as part of the continuing prophylactic treatment before the information campaign on meningococcemia was conducted.

According to Dr. Salas, the prophylactic treatment for the pupils will be administered twice a day for two days. The same treatment will be given to adults.

On the other hand, Mayor Garing appealed to the residents in the barangay especially the residents who are living in the place where the victim lived, to stay calm and not to panic or be afraid with the still unconfirmed report that the cause of death of the nine year old boy was due to meningococcemia.

Mayor Garing further appealed to rumor mongers who fed and spread the wrong information regarding the cause of the death of the nine year old boy to please stop the same because it has contributed more panic to the residents in the area and caused damage to the image not only in the municipality of Cabucgayan and its residents but also in the province of Biliran as a whole.