Dengue is freaking us out

Nora Soriño .

ILIGAN City — I was watching a foreign channel on TV, the Al Jazeera, the other day when a one-sentence news about PH was reported. It said the government is reconsidering the use of Dengvaxia vaccine as there are already 450 deaths in the country.

What? I was jolted in my seat. I was freaked out. I was “shookt,” as they say in millennialspeak.

There would be a return of the comeback of Dengvaxia vaccine? Did not its use receive so much flak not only from this administration but to the general public as well? What had happened?

Of course, we know what is happening as far as dengue is concerned. All over the country, this particular scourge is raging. “Who is to be blamed for this?” asked one woman, in a comics strip, to her friend.

The friend answered: “Of course, the mosquitoes!”

We know that even how much we blame the mosquitoes, they don’t give a darn thing. These days, we are simply “overpowered” by them.”

Long ago, the scourge that they carried was called malaria. Although there are still cases of them especially in forested areas, the matter has receded from the public consciousness. Now it’s this — dengue. The national government seems indecisive for the moment on this matter. But they’re really studying it, and that includes the Dengvaxia vaccine use.  

In this city, for instance, it has recorded its 13th fatality with cases reaching almost 800 as of the end of July. There is at least one adult reported, a 32-year-old man, according to the city health office. As in the other areas, the “4s” are stressed with early consultation in order to properly hydrate the patient.

In some cases, the symptoms are not very evident, says sanitation inspector Douglas Garcia. One even just had a “weakness.” And we’re not really very concerned of such kind of manifestation. Most of us just go to the “manghihilot.” That is a very Pinoy way of dealing with any sickness, including dengue — especially in its early stages.  

Amid this present scourge, reports say that it is “kanya-kanyang diskarte” or to each his own.

The other day, I heard a woman on air wailing her concerns about a six-year-old daughter now in a hospital here because of dengue. There were costly prescriptions which she couldn’t afford. So, she sought the public’s help. Good that many answered her call. One even, instead of giving money, offered a “pray over.”

One of the leading to-each-his-own strategies is early detection or prevention. Now, while we’re at it, I remember Cuba. The country, because of its finances, especially after America made an enemy of it some decades ago, had to concentrate on “prevention.” And they had a no-nonsense disease prevention program.

It is reported now that the life expectancy is 80 in that country. Compared that to the US which is 79 years or lesser by one year.

“And that 79 is helped mostly by synthetic medicines,” I remember a comment from my good friend Arlene.

So is it Dengvaxia? Maybe it can help although this needs improvement as it does not work on those who never contracted the disease. This was from Sanofi Pasteur then, its supplier.

I think we should learn from Cuba. Focus much on “prevention.” I think one school here has that in mind. No uniform at this time. The kids are made to wear long pants and sleeves even as suspected breeding places are destroyed; even as we seek early medical attention if there’s something even vaguely wrong with somebody. Fogging, too, is encouraged but health officials say that it should not be daily.

Really, dengue has freaked us out. But that should not prevent us from thinking rationally.