Wanted: A calibrated preemptive response vs. dengue

WHILE the economic future of Pangasinan nursing graduates who took the leakage-tainted board examination is being unfairly scuttled, there is again a potential crisis in the province that is waiting to happen – the outbreak of dengue in the province.

While regional and provincial health officials are careful not to prematurely alarm the residents in the province, the fact remains the telltale signs are there. It is a fact that more people continue to die of dengue in the province whether or not the situation will later be described as an outbreak or epidemic. And unless and until the provincial government, in tandem with towns and cities, embark on a massive preemptive response, more will die needlessly. By that time, who needs the declaration of an outbreak?

      As things appear today, most government units are content in waiting for an outbreak to be declared before allocating funds to combat it when finally declared an epidemic. There is no emergency, so why panic? They argue.

      Progressive nations have succeeded in nurturing the health of their people because they adhere to a policy of preventive action. They strictly enforce laws and ordinances that were crafted precisely to protect the people and maintain order in the communities. The strict enforcement is preventive in nature and so is prospective planning. Unfortunately, these are two activities in governance which are lost in the minds of many of our public officials, hence, the numerous needless deaths in our midst.

      At this time when health officials are poring over data and statistics on incidence of dengue in the barangays, town and city officials should embark on a series of defogging activities including close monitoring of possible sources of breeding by mosquito-carriers. These are the same activities resorted to in a panic mode each time an outbreak is declared. 

      Given what we have seen in recent past, the call to preempt the declaration of an outbreak is more urgent than having to prepare for an inevitable outbreak.

      We must launch a calibrated preemptive response now to beat an imminent outbreak.

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