ALBAY CITES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS' MEASURES TO FIGHT DENGUE

LEGAZPI CITY – The Provincial Government of Albay has adopted an awards program to motivate local government units combat dengue in their localities setting sight a “zero casualty” target and prevent the spread of the dreaded disease.

Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda told PIA News Service that the awards program recognizes the performance or achievements of city and municipal governments in the province for preempting or stamping out dengue cases in their respective areas.

“We reward outputs, not inputs; real outcomes, not efforts,” stressed Salceda.

The awards program, the governor furthered, will be given for both monthly and year-to-date feats of LGUs to prevent and control dengue infections and death.

Awards up for grabs include “Zero Dengue for the Month” commencing this Setember 2010 for LGUs with no recorded dengue cases; while the “Performance Award” will be conferred only to LGUs with a minimum of six (6) months dengue-free out of the part eigth (8) months.

In the event of a tie, the city or municipality with the lowest incidence will determine the rank of the awardees, computed on the basis of dengue cases recorded over the total population.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Albay has cited Libon town garnering both awards for Zero Dengue for the Month of August and ranking first as dengue-free for seven months out of the past eight months. The town recorded the lone dengue case on March, this year, out of its 71,328 population, with an attack rate of 0.001 percent.

Jovellar has also recorded zero dengue case for August and ranks second for seven months dengue-free with also lone dengue case in February out of 18,249 population implying a 0.005 percent attack rate, followed by Malilipot with two cases out of 34,802 population, 0.006 percent attack rate, and six months dengue-free; Oas recording four cases out of 66,188, 0.006 percent, and five months dengue-free; and Malinao, four cases out of 40,939 with 0.010 percent and five months dengue-free.

PHO Albay has recorded 1,095 dengue cases out of the 1,233,695 population across Albay from January to August this year, with three deaths recoded in Daraga town (2) and Tabaco City (1).

PHO Albay chief Dr. Luis Mendoza has announced that awardees will be conferred with the certificates of recognition this coming Friday (October 1) at the AECID Hall of the PDMO Building, Provincial Capitol here to coincide with the briefing for the National Philhealth Registration Day. (MALOterte, PIA V)