Officials from the regional and provincial Department of Health (DOH) have warned the public against possible outbreak of diseases in the wake of the recent onslaught of Typhoon Sendong in Dumaguete and other parts of Negros Oriental that left thousands of families homeless.
Dr. Expedito Medalla, health emergency management system coordinator of DOH-7, in an interview said the DOH is continuously monitoring the emergence of diseases, specifically those that are water-borne, as scores of families are still camped out at various evacuation centers after they lost their homes to unprecedented flooding Saturday.
Dr. Medalla said there is a big possibility of water contamination, as various water systems have bogged down, such that the DOH is urging the public to boil their water before drinking.
The DOH is prepared to provide free vaccination to typhoon victims as necessary although so far there have been no reports yet of any disease outbreak.
Furthermore, the DOH is calling on local government units, their respective health departments and sanitary inspectors to adopt strategies on garbage and waste control, Medalla said.
The doctor stressed the importance of cleanliness and sanitation, especially at evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Socrates Villamor, provincial team leader of the DOH in Negros Oriental, has announced that they have already provided medicines in the event of cases of amoebiasis, disinfectants for possibly contaminated water supply and antibiotics for bacterial infections that could develop later.
So far, there has been no report yet of diarrhea cases although initially, the DOH had provided medication for victims coming down with fever and those with minor injuries immediately after the flashfloods, he said.
Dr. Villamor also emphasized there is no timeline as to when the danger period for a disease outbreak would subside, for as long as typhoon victims are still staying at temporary shelters and evacuation centers.
He said the DOH has not received any reports yet of diarrhea cases even as he called on LGUs and local officials to educate people at evacuation centers on proper waste disposal and food preparation.