Anti-malaria measures sought at Hanjin shipyard
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Alarmed by the death of a construction worker, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has asked workers and companies at the Hanjin shipyard in this premier Freeport to implement measures aimed at preventing malaria, a vector-borne disease caused by mosquito bites.
Dr. Solomon Jacalne, SBMA deputy administrator for health and safety, said malaria is "endemic" in the area, and so it is necessary to control the vector or the organism that causes the disease.
"The disease itself is caused by mosquito bites, and so what the residents and workers have to do is protect themselves from bites, and rid their areas of stagnant pools of water where mosquitoes breed," Jacalne said.
The SBMA health officer said that an anti-malaria program has been put in place at the Redondo Peninsula since last year when Hanjin began construction of its shipyard project in the area.
The anti-malaria program, Jacalne said, is being implemented by the Malaria Task Force (MTF), which provides free malaria screening and medicine.
The program also involves residual spraying of mosquito repellant in houses, distribution of chemically treated mosquito nets, mass blood smearing, and an information-education drive, Jacalne said.
The SBMA issued this statement to clarify reports that some workers employed by a Hanjin subcontractor have been downed by the disease, and that one death was recorded.
"If ever, these cases were not brought to our attention," Jacalne said.
"We have met with Hanjin executives and their sub-contractors, and we stressed that if a worker in the shipyard becomes ill, he should be screened first before he is sent home," he said.
Jacalne said that aside from the SBMA dispensary, the rural health unit (RHU) in Subic, Zambales provides free malaria screening.
SBMA said malaria has been endemic at the Redondo Peninsula, particularly Barangay Cawag, where the Hanjin shipyard is located.
During a medical mission conducted in the area in June 2006, SBMA doctors found that two of the four known types of malaria infected some of the residents.
The symptoms include epigastric pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and headache.
When Hanjin began the construction of the shipyard, SBMA sought the assistance of the Center for Health Development in Region 3 (CHD 3) in the effort to eradicate malaria in the peninsula. This led to the creation of the MTF last year.
The MTF is composed of health workers of SBMA and CHD 3, Subic RHU, Zambales provincial health office, Tropical Disease Foundation (TDF)-Global Fund Malaria, Hanjin, and the city health office of Olongapo. (Jonas Reyes - Manila Bulletin)
Dr. Solomon Jacalne, SBMA deputy administrator for health and safety, said malaria is "endemic" in the area, and so it is necessary to control the vector or the organism that causes the disease.
"The disease itself is caused by mosquito bites, and so what the residents and workers have to do is protect themselves from bites, and rid their areas of stagnant pools of water where mosquitoes breed," Jacalne said.
The SBMA health officer said that an anti-malaria program has been put in place at the Redondo Peninsula since last year when Hanjin began construction of its shipyard project in the area.
The anti-malaria program, Jacalne said, is being implemented by the Malaria Task Force (MTF), which provides free malaria screening and medicine.
The program also involves residual spraying of mosquito repellant in houses, distribution of chemically treated mosquito nets, mass blood smearing, and an information-education drive, Jacalne said.
The SBMA issued this statement to clarify reports that some workers employed by a Hanjin subcontractor have been downed by the disease, and that one death was recorded.
"If ever, these cases were not brought to our attention," Jacalne said.
"We have met with Hanjin executives and their sub-contractors, and we stressed that if a worker in the shipyard becomes ill, he should be screened first before he is sent home," he said.
Jacalne said that aside from the SBMA dispensary, the rural health unit (RHU) in Subic, Zambales provides free malaria screening.
SBMA said malaria has been endemic at the Redondo Peninsula, particularly Barangay Cawag, where the Hanjin shipyard is located.
During a medical mission conducted in the area in June 2006, SBMA doctors found that two of the four known types of malaria infected some of the residents.
The symptoms include epigastric pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and headache.
When Hanjin began the construction of the shipyard, SBMA sought the assistance of the Center for Health Development in Region 3 (CHD 3) in the effort to eradicate malaria in the peninsula. This led to the creation of the MTF last year.
The MTF is composed of health workers of SBMA and CHD 3, Subic RHU, Zambales provincial health office, Tropical Disease Foundation (TDF)-Global Fund Malaria, Hanjin, and the city health office of Olongapo. (Jonas Reyes - Manila Bulletin)
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
6:32 AM
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