by Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Aug 6 (PIA) – Upgrading the level of public health intervention against malaria from
one of control to one of elimination, the Department of Health in Basilan and
the PIlipinas Shell Foundation Inc. have launched on Thursday “Byaheng Kulambo”
or Travelling Long-Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN).
On behalf of the provincial governor, Provincial Administrator and
concurrent Provincial Engineer Tahir Latip pinned the seal of the Provincial
Government of Basilan to the symbolic “kulambo” (mosquito net), adding up to
some fifty local government units who have given their commitment and support
to the movement against malaria campaign.
The dramatic accomplishment of the provincial health office here was
highlighted by the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. representative here and is
looked up to by the implementers of the anti-malaria campaign in the country.
Eric Bel Sanico, Project Officer of Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc.
lauded local health workers for their hard work and dedication in bringing down
the incidence of malaria cases in the province from 1,157 malaria cases
detected in 2006 to only 9 cases in 2011. “We have in fact increased the stakes
of all involved in the initiatives. And that the rate and level of disease
reduction has been significant if not dramatic,” he said.
He said that “reducing single digit disease levels and reaching zero
requires that interventions be more precise and exacting, but without
down-grading the level of interventions in any manner.”
BASULTA Cluster Head of Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. Jackson G. Roxas
Jr. said that this initiative highlights a new advocacy campaign. It is
expected to support the current theme of “Saving lives, preventing deaths and
sustaining investments in the fight against malaria”.
He said ‘Byaheng Kulambo’ aims to raise a new level of awareness on the
opportunities currently available to eliminate a disease threat from our environment
and the measures which have to be undertaken to make this possibility a
reality.
The long-lasting Insecticide-treated Net (LLIN) has been chosen to
symbolize the malaria control program being the main cornerstone of the
intervention measures both locally and internationally. It shall represent the
coverage protection, the program provides to the population at risk and the
population in general.
While the accomplishments of the local health office in controlling
malaria in the province is highly regarded, the PHO is still challenged by the
“inconsistency” of population data available to them as baseline reference in
reaching to its population, which have an effect in their accomplishment
reports.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Rhoda Delgado-Principe said the 2010
National Statistics Office population report is used as the baseline since it
is the official government data. Unfortunately, some NSO population figures could
hardly be reconciled with the actual population in some barangays in Basilan.
“We could not change the NSO data, but unfortunately this is the
problem. There is really difficulty to achieve the target population even if
the barangay chairman would already attest about the actual population figure,”
she said, adding that the barangay officials would provide the master list of
constituents in the barangay and this has become their basis in assessing their
accomplishments.
Roxas recognized the issue on population figures, but noted that what is
important for now is to be able to serve the target people in the barangay and
sustain the zero cases of deaths from malaria since 2009.
Roxas further hoped that the visit of the net by
province shall be reciprocated by the acceptance of the local government units
of the responsibilities that the program will entail. The LGU also signed a
manifesto of support in eradicating malaria in the province. (RVC/PIA9-ZBST)