Compostela Valley added another milestone achievement following its declaration by the Department of Health (DOH) as an "filariasis-free" province in the entire country.
This was learned during the opening Wednesday of the two-day 1st National Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Stakeholders Forum at the Apo View Hotel here.
The DOH info material said, “There are 12 million Filipinos expected to be at risk of getting infected with Lymphatic Filariasis. About 44 provinces are endemic of this disease including all provinces of Region XII, but Compostela Valley has succeeded in eliminating this disease.â€
It said that Lymphatic Filariasis is only one of the six diseases classified as NTDs in the country. Others are Schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted Helminthiasis, food and waterborne diseases, Leprosy and Rabies.
"Filariasis is caused by filarial parasites transmitted from person to person through bites of infected mosquito. It can be eliminated when endemic communities take the drugs once a year until DOH could declare the community free of this disease,†the information material added.
Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy, who joined the panel of guests, said the secret of eliminating filariasis in his province is through full cooperation, collaboration and partnership among multi-agencies – from the provincial, municipal and down to the barangay level.
“We, as government officials, are ones mandated to implement programs like health. Unity plays a vital role here,†he told reporters.
Uy said that with the assistance of the DOH in combatting the problem on filariasis, their meager resources were substantially augmented.
However, he said that they have still a lot of work to do to combat other diseases like malaria and dengue that are observed to be taking their toll in the province. - pna
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