The Dengue Task Force of Bacolod City is launching an intensified campaign against the spread of dengue in the city.

During an emergency meeting he called yesterday at City Hall, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, task force chairman, said he has received reports that dengue cases continue to rise. He said there is a need to involve everybody in the fight against the disease through massive information dissemination and by asking residents to clean their surroundings. Leonardia said all the barangay captains in Bacolod City and even the school children in both public and private schools, should be involved in the campaign. "Everybody has to do their share or else we won't be able to control the spread of dengue," he said.

City Health Officer Dr. Edgardo Estrella said total dengue cases in Bacolod from January to August 4, 2007 is 1,015 compared to 274 for the same period last year, or an increase of 301 percent. He said 10 deaths were recorded in Bacolod City this year. Estrella said that, although the Department of Health VI has declared that there is no indication of a dengue outbreak in Bacolod City, people should not be complacent. He said the World Health Organization has also announced that dengue cases in 2007 and 2008 will remain the same due to global warming. He said the rainy and warm weather condition is conducive to the growth of mosquitoes so it is expected that dengue cases will increase throughout the country.

Leonardia instructed Estrella to list down information about dengue that school children should know for distribution to the schools.

Also at the meeting were Councilor Napoleon Cordova, Secretary to the Mayor Goldwyn Nifras, Bacolod Schools Division Superintendent Milagros Gonzalez, Cabug Brgy. Captain Riboni de Paula, Raul Garganera of the Philippine National Red Cross, Dr. Babylin Baliguas-Drilon and Dr. Eriberto Layda of the CHO.

Cordova, chairman of the Committee on Health and Sanitation, had proposed the Comprehensive Anti-Dengue Ordinance, aimed at reducing, if not completely eliminating the prevalence of dengue in Bacolod City, that was passed recently on first reading by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.*CGS

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