The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has taken a three-point strategy in fighting dengue, which according to Senator Dick Gordon is now being considered as a national emergency following the Department of Health’s declaration of a national alert after noting an 86% increase in the number of dengue cases recorded from January to July.
“The PRC provides adequate safe and quality blood.”
Under the strategy, Gordon said the PRC will provide adequate safe and quality blood, as it is already sending 165 bags to five hospitals in Iloilo and four in Capiz. The blood is free for dengue-stricken individuals who cannot afford it, he said.
The veteran legislator added that the second approach is to provide air-conditioned emergency medical tents to relieve hospitals that are now overflowing with dengue patients. The tents were deployed to Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan. The PRC did this before, the latest deployment of tents was during the measles epidemic earlier this year.
The seasoned lawmaker said the third approach in the strategy is to involve the community with PRC chapters mobilizing Red Cross 143 volunteers to track down the breeding areas of dengue carrying mosquitos and conduct cleanup efforts within a 400- meter radius where these are discovered.
“One dead is already one dead too many.”
“The Red Cross is treating it as a national emergency because one dead is already one dead too many. The dengue season has just started at dadami pa ‘yan kaya we are taking it very seriously,” Gordon said.