DOH Region 11 calls for responsible pet ownership
Published Mar 10, 2020 12:00 am
By Warren Elijah Valdez
DAVAO CITY - The Department of Health in Region 11 (DOH 11) has urged pet owners here to be responsible in handling their domesticated pets in observation of the Rabies Awareness Month this March.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Dr. Vergel Jay Bautista, DOH’s medical coordinator for rabies prevention and control program told reporters Monday that, while rabies is totally deadly, this can still be prevented.
“One way is responsible (pet) ownership as owners of dogs and cats. We should take care of them not only by having them vaccinated but putting them on leash while walking them on public places so as to lessen the possibility of biting strangers,” Bautista said.
Bautista added that in case there will be cases of dog or cat bites, the victim must immediately seek medical attention at the nearest bite treatment center.
There are around 32 animal bite and treatment centers in the whole Davao region.
Since last year, Bautista said there have been 24 confirmed cases of rabies in Davao region.
“All of the 24 (patients) died. That is the data of our fatalities in 2019,” he added, noting that most came from Davao City.
Next to Davao City was the province of Davao de Oro with four recorded cases; Davao Oriental with four; three cases in Davao del Norte; and two in Davao del Sur.
Bautista also said that there have been two reported cases this year, but these have yet to be confirmed.
“Meron na pong pumasok na dalawa, but (it) still has to be confirmed. As the symptoms of rabies is also a wastebasket diagnosis, which means that, whatever it is that wasn’t recorded (or included) in the other diagnosis, it can be diagnosed as rabies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bautista said they are still waiting for more supply of anti-rabies vaccines from the central office.
“The vaccines, they are centrally procured. All of our vaccines are provided by the central office,” he said.
The number of the vaccines, he said, will be allocated based on the number of recorded cases reported to the central office.
“Apparently, it is true indeed that, since 2017, there have been challenges in the allocation of the vaccine. Currently, we are still waiting for the delivery (supply), our allocation from the central office.”
However, Bautista said, with the budget that is given to the rabies (program), DOH 11 will also need augmentation wherein it would be able to “locally procure rabies vaccines to ensure that all cases will be covered.”
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Dr. Vergel Jay Bautista, DOH’s medical coordinator for rabies prevention and control program told reporters Monday that, while rabies is totally deadly, this can still be prevented.
“One way is responsible (pet) ownership as owners of dogs and cats. We should take care of them not only by having them vaccinated but putting them on leash while walking them on public places so as to lessen the possibility of biting strangers,” Bautista said.
Bautista added that in case there will be cases of dog or cat bites, the victim must immediately seek medical attention at the nearest bite treatment center.
There are around 32 animal bite and treatment centers in the whole Davao region.
Since last year, Bautista said there have been 24 confirmed cases of rabies in Davao region.
“All of the 24 (patients) died. That is the data of our fatalities in 2019,” he added, noting that most came from Davao City.
Next to Davao City was the province of Davao de Oro with four recorded cases; Davao Oriental with four; three cases in Davao del Norte; and two in Davao del Sur.
Bautista also said that there have been two reported cases this year, but these have yet to be confirmed.
“Meron na pong pumasok na dalawa, but (it) still has to be confirmed. As the symptoms of rabies is also a wastebasket diagnosis, which means that, whatever it is that wasn’t recorded (or included) in the other diagnosis, it can be diagnosed as rabies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bautista said they are still waiting for more supply of anti-rabies vaccines from the central office.
“The vaccines, they are centrally procured. All of our vaccines are provided by the central office,” he said.
The number of the vaccines, he said, will be allocated based on the number of recorded cases reported to the central office.
“Apparently, it is true indeed that, since 2017, there have been challenges in the allocation of the vaccine. Currently, we are still waiting for the delivery (supply), our allocation from the central office.”
However, Bautista said, with the budget that is given to the rabies (program), DOH 11 will also need augmentation wherein it would be able to “locally procure rabies vaccines to ensure that all cases will be covered.”