July 25, 2022
The City Government of Davao, through the City Health Office (CHO), assured Dabawenyos that it has already formulated health measures to protect Davao City from Monkeypox.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on July 23 declared Monkeypox as a “public health emergency of international concern.”
During the Madayaw Davao program aired over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday, CHO head Dr. Ashley Lopez said the city has received advisories from the WHO through the Department of Health to intensify surveillance efforts against Monkeypox.
Lopez said the CHO has already intensified its monitoring of the disease especially after neighboring countries like Thailand, Singapore and India have reported cases of the disease.
“Since it has already reached three Southeast Asian countries, dili imposible na musulod ni sa Pilipinas (it is not impossible for monkeypox to enter the Philippines),” Lopez said.
He described the mode of transmission of the disease as a “little complicated because it could be airborne and at the same time, bodily fluids.”
“Compared to COVID, ang COVID man gud airborne, respiratory droplets. Kaning Monkeypox, bodily fluids ‘no, dili lamang sa laway, dili lang sa pag-ubo og paghatsing, pwede pud ni makuha sa blood transfusion transplacental transmission or even sexual (Compared to COVID, COVID is airborne, from respiratory droplets. Monkeypox can be transmitted through bodily fluids, not just from saliva, not only from coughing and sneezing, this can also spread through blood transfusion and transplacental transmission or even sexual transmission),” Lopez added.
Lopez called on all Dabawenyos to be vigilant, especially now that the city is starting to settle in to the new normal.
“It’s because of our current travel requirements; open man ta. The economy is open, the travel opportunities are open so dili gyud na imposible. So what is being addressed here is that– make your precautions,” he warned.
The CHO has also created the Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases Unit (ERID) which will be leading the emergency health response efforts in the event of a Monkeypox outbreak in the city.
“The City Government of Davao, last month pa, naa na ta’y contingency plan laban aning Monkeypox (since last month we already have a contingency plan against Monkeypox). We have already formulated and organized our ERID or Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases office, under the City Health Office. And this is the unit responsible for this kind of outbreaks and pandemics relating to emerging and reemerging diseases, so andam na ta ana sa kung unsa man ang mahitabo (so we are ready for whatever will happen).” Lopez said. CIO
