GORDON SAYS PRC IS TAKING A THREE-POINT APPROACH TO COMBAT DENGUE

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has a three-point strategy to fight dengue which, Senator Richard J. Gordon said, they are treating as a national emergency after the Department of Health declared a national alert after noting an 86% percent increase in the number of dengue cases recorded from January to July.

First, Gordon said, the PRC provides adequate safe and quality blood, 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 added the second is to provide air-conditioned emergency medical tents to relieve hospitals that are overflowing with dengue patients. The tents were deployed to Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan. The PRC has done this before, the latest of which was during the measles epidemic earlier this year.

The PRC chairman said the third approach is to involve the community with PRC chapters mobilizing Red Cross 143 volunteers to track down dengue and conduct clean-up efforts within a 400- meter radius where they are discovered.

"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.