DOH: No severe damage to health facilities due to Paeng

The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said there were no reported severe damage to health facilities following the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.

Dr. Bernadett Velasco, DOH Health Emergency Management Bureau director, said only minor incidents were reported including roof damage in some health facilities after the recent severe tropical storm.

“Ang magandang balita, walang gaanong nabigay na report regarding damage. Walang masyadong damage ang typhoon Paeng in terms of health facilities although continuously pa rin tayong naga-assess but so far up to this date konti pa lang ang mga damage,” Velasco said at the DOH Kapihan forum.

(The good news is, there were no reports of severe damage to health facilities due to Paeng. Although we are still continuously assessing but so far up to this date the damage is only a little.)

“So these are basically mga roof damage unlike 'yung earthquake na medyo malaki 'yung damage but this sa Typhoon Paeng mga roof damage medyo minor lang mga damage natin,” she added.

(So these are basically roof damage, unlike the recent earthquake which caused major damage. Only roof and other minor damage were reported due to Paeng.)

Velasco said they are still waiting for the official report to provide funds for the repair and other needs of the health facilities.

“In terms of funding, naghihintay lang tayo ng mga official report nila at kung ano 'yung pwede nating maitulong coming from the national government or from the central office then we will provide and act on it depending on the needs of the region and health facilities,” she said.

(In terms of funding, we are just waiting for their official reports and what we can help, coming from the national government or from the central office then we will provide and act on it depending on the needs of the region and health facilities.)

Medical conditions due to Paeng

Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of DOH Epidemiology Bureau, said at least 178 injuries were reported due to Paeng based on the Health Emergency Alert Reporting System as of November 2.

The DOH official said at least 307 consultations of several medical conditions were reported from regions 2, 3, and 12.

Of these 307 consultations, at least 129 were acute and upper respiratory infection, 68 cough and colds, 50 wounds, 11 fever, nine hypertension, one each in acute gastroenteritis and abdominal pain, and 38 other disease syndromes.

She did not elaborate if these were from residents in evacuation centers.

De Guzman, meanwhile, said among the top health issues recorded in evacuation centers in Region 6 were skin diseases (16 individuals) and open wounds and bruises (15 cases).

She added that seven acute and upper respiratory infections and six acute gastroenteritis were also reported in hospitals in Region 6.

Velasco said the department has already distributed hygiene kits and medicines including first aid kits for the typhoon victims.

“Meron na tayong prepositioned na mga gamit that includes assorted medicines na nandoon sa mga regions para kung kailangan ng LGUs (local government units) natin mabilis nating mabibigay,” she said.

(We already have prepositioned supplies that include assorted medicines in the regions so that if our LGUs need them, we can quickly provide them.)

“Aside sa mga prepositioned na resources, meron din tayo sa central office so 'pag nagkulang sa mga region narereplenish natin kaagad hindi natin hinihintay na maubusan tayo so nabibigay din natin kaagad,” she added.

(Aside from the prepositioned resources, we also have resources at the central office so when there is a shortage in the regions, we replenish them immediately, we don't wait for them to run out, so we also provide them immediately.)

Based on the latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), there are 121 reported deaths due to Paeng, of which 92 have been confirmed.

Paeng exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on October 31.—AOL, GMA News