The health office of Rizal, a municipality in southern Palawan that is still struggling with malaria, is appealing for help for the medical mission it is organizing for its Palaw’an and Tau’t Bato indigenous peoples’ settlements.
Dr. Kristal Care Pineda, the town’s municipal health officer, told Palawan News that the outreach program is targeting to do mass drug administration to 6,062 beneficiaries in three days in five separate sites for three cycles of medicine for 126 days of protection against malaria.
The Municipal Health Office (MHO), she stated, would need food, clothes, hygiene kits (soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste), blankets, pillows, and mats or woven mats.
“Layunin nito ang mapababa at tuluyang mapuksa ang mga kaso ng malaria sa mga bulubunduking komunidad ng Rizal, Palawan, sa pamamagitan ng sabayang gamutan, edukasyon sa kalusugan, at kooperasyon ng buong pamayanan,” Dr. Pineda said.
“Kami po sa Municipal Health Office ay humihiling ng inyong bukas-palad na suporta. Anumang tulong ay malaking ambag sa tagumpay ng programang ito at sa kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan,” she added.
Malaria is caused by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito, which carries the parasite. These mosquitoes are found in clean flowing water in mountain areas and forests.
Palawan is currently the only province in the Philippines where malaria has not been eradicated, preventing the country from being declared malaria-free.
The indigenous peoples living in the mountains of Rizal are the most affected by malaria in the province.
Based on the MHO’s data, 62% of all malaria cases in Palawan are from Rizal. Of these, 30% are classified as severe. Out of 68 pregnant women diagnosed with malaria, 26 are from Rizal. Furthermore, out of 718 cases of multiple infections, 496 were recorded in the town.
Those who wish to offer help or get in touch may call 0909-425-9133 or email [email protected].
