DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 11 Mach) – The Department of Health is waiting for the city’s Central 911 to collect the 100 vials of pre-exposure vaccinations against rabies intended for emergency responders.
The Health agency has reserved free units to the first responders, especially those who respond to animal bite reports.
Speaking at Monday’s Kapehan sa SM, rabies program head Divene Hilario told reporters that there was an agreement last year about giving the first responders, especially the ambulance personnel, the pre-exposure shots.
The vials are worth P1,800 each, with two to four people being accommodated by each vial.
Hilario said there was a “tremendous increase” in animal bites in 2014, compared with 2013 data.
There were 33,199 recorded bite cases in the region for 2014, compared with 20,684 in 2013.
According to the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, 22 died in 2014, while 16 deaths were recorded in 2013.
Hilario said Davao City had more than half of the 33,000 plus recorded cases, with children younger than 15 being the most prone to being bitten by rabid dogs.
In 2013, the rabies incidence rate for the region was much lower, according to Hilario, at 9,800 of the 20,000 cases being confirmed rabies.
Hilario attributed the rise in the cases to the population density of the city.
According to Gracita Berguia, infectious diseases program head at the DOH, the agency’s program so far has been effective despite the number of cases.
“People have improved their health-seeking behaviors,” Berguia said, adding that there were more people who approached their health centers, hospitals and clinics.
Hilario said the deaths were all confirmed as patients who did not seek treatment.
Out of the 2014 cases, around 90 percent or 30,146 people were given free vaccines against rabies, Hilario said.
The animal bite figure recorded dog bites, but also included bites from cats and other animals.
The health officials, meanwhile, reminded the public to immediately seek post-exposure prophylaxis at the nearest health facility.
The Southern Philippines Medical Center, for example, provides free anti-rabies for bite patients, up to the third shot.
Davao City was far from being declared rabies-free, Hilario said.
However, the DOH official said they were pushing for the City of Samal to be declared rabies-free, which means no record of rabies for three years straight.
“But Samal had one case last year,” Hilario said.
March is rabies awareness month.
