Dengue patients get cash aid

THE City Government of Kidapawan in North Cotabato pledged to give financial assistance to dengue patients in the city.

Mayor Joseph Evangelista said the financial aid is in response to the rising number of dengue cases reported by the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU).

Evangelista said about P15,000 cash assistance shall be shelled out by the city government to cover the hospital expenses of the dengue patients. He said the patient's family or watcher just needs to present the hospital bills and medical prescription before the City Mayor's office to avail of the assistance.

Evangelista also said the initiative is part of the One Hospital Command System organized by the City Government to answer for the medical needs of dengue patients.

According to the latest case bulletin of the CESU, Kidapawan City has recorded 326 dengue cases from January 1 to June 17 this year.

The number is 1,630 percent higher than the cases reported in the same period last year.

Evangelista also said that two fatalities have been reported due to dengue.

The mayor said 313 have been hospitalized with Poblacion village having the highest number of cases at 90 patients.

The CESU data also showed that 52 percent of the cases were males.

Evangelista called on the residents to cooperate in mitigating the spread of dengue by constantly cleaning the areas that potentially house mosquito larvae.

He also stressed that residents must immediately seek medical attention once symptoms appear and urged village officials to pursue more fogging operations.

Source: TheManila Times