Dengue patients ‘overflow’

BY FELIPE V. CELINO

ROXAS City – Victims of dengue are “overflowing” in a private hospital here.

The chapel and the lobby of Capiz Emmanuel Hospital are now being used by dengue patients, said Hospital Administrator Jessie Contreras.

From June to July 24 this year, he said, the 110-bed hospital has admitted 374 dengue patients; 31 of which were from outside Capiz.

Due to everyday increase of dengue cases, he also allowed the hospital’s conference room, library and hallway of the new administration building to accommodate more patients.

Some of these patients have allegedly been rejected by the Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH).

“No doubt, the problem is already serious, and it needs the attention of the local officials,” Contreras said.

Based on records, the RMPH has admitted 168 dengue patients. It was followed by Saint Anthony College Hospital with 149; Sen. Gerry Roxas Memorial District Hospital, 87; Bailan District Hospital, 72; Capiz Doctors’ Hospital, 48; Mambusao District Hospital, 48; Tapaz District Hospital, 9; Pilar Rural Health Unit (RHU), 8; Panitan RHU, 7; Sigma RHU, 3; Cuartero RHU, 3; Ivisan RHU, 1; and Camp Peralta Station Hospital, 1.

Meanwhile, Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. declared Capiz under an “impending dengue outbreak” last week. The province had 1,044 dengue cases with eight deaths.

Through Executive Order No. 38, he directed local government officials to take “urgent, necessary and appropriate actions.”

Eyr Altavas, officer-in-charge of the Capiz Epidemiological Surveillance and Response Unit (CESRU), said the latest to die from dengue was a 14-year-old girl from Brgy. Tanque here.
The Provincial Board through the Committee on Health is studying the impending outbreak of dengue.

Board member Mimi Ardvilla, the committee chair, proposed to pass a resolution declaring Capiz under a state of calamity due to dengue outbreak.

Through it, she said, the calamity fund can be used to assist dengue patients./PN