DOH to roll out dengue rapid testing in rural health units

PALO, Leyte, March 23 (PNA) -– Each local government unit will initially get 300 dengue fever rapid test kit in the next two months in the bid to capacitate rural health units to detect this mosquito-borne disease.

Health Secretary Janette Garin said the central government will preposition more than one million testing kits nationwide to combat the deadly dengue virus.

The project aims to decongest hospitals by detecting presence of dengue antibodies in the blood of a suspected dengue patient.

“At present, all patients with suspected dengue fever go to hospitals for check up, which cause hospital congestion. This problem dilutes manpower and resources,” Garin told reporters.

Each kit has a test cassette, diluent in dropper vial, and directions for use. The DOH will replace used kits to sustain local government unit’s dengue testing activities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that dengue is spread through the bite of the female mosquito (Aedes aegypti). The mosquito becomes infected when it takes the blood of a person infected with the virus.

After about one week, the mosquito can then transmit the virus while biting a healthy person. The mosquito can fly up to 400 meters looking for water-filled containers to lay their eggs, but usually remains close to the human habitation, according to the WHO.

Dengue-infected persons suffer a high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting and swollen glands or rash.

In 2015, the government has recorded more than 200,000 dengue cases and 600 deaths nationwide. (PNA)

FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO