DOH: Keep water safe for fire victims
Affected families from Barangay Duljo-Fatima take shelter at the San Nicolas Elementary School after their houses were damaged by the fire. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
A medical officer from the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) reminded the Cebu City government and barangay officials to help ensure that water supply at the evacuation centers is free from contamination to prevent the fire victims from acquiring water-borne diseases.
The victims of fire that struck Barangay Duljo-Fatima last December 1 are now temporarily staying at the San Nicolas Elementary School and the Duljo-Fatima Sports Complex.
The seven-hour blaze that began at 11:14 p.m. and lasted until 6:25 a.m. on Friday displaced 602 families or 2,722 individuals.
Four days later, another fire hit Sitio CRCI (Cebu Rehabilitation Center Inc.) in Barangay Apas, leaving one dead and 1,000 individuals, including 50 blind people, homeless.
The fire victims are staying in tents at the grounds of Department of Science and Technology (DOST-7) just beside the fire site.
Apas Barangay chairman Ramil Ayuman said that Natividad Bacalan, 68, a blind who was left alone in the house because her daughter was out working in Mandaue City, failed to get out of the house.
While in Barangay Suba, the 213 families who were left homeless in the fire last November 21 were placed in evacuation sites while others stayed in the houses of their relatives.
Dr. Joanri Riveral, medical officer III of DOH-7, said contaminated water can cause common diseases like diarrhea and typhoid fever.
“Water should be stored in water containers to prevent contamination and the spread of diseases,” Riveral told Cebu Daily News.
Riveral also said that water containers should not be placed near the toilets to prevent it from being contaminated.
She added that water containers should always be closed to prevent dengue-carrying mosquitoes from breeding.
She also reminded those who want to donate food, such as noodles, canned goods and other items to fire victims to check the food label for expiration date.
Expired food items can also cause food poisoning, she said.
“To those who want to give cooked food or food packs, please don’t give leftovers,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) has distributed non-food items to the fire victims in Barangays Carreta and Duljo Fatima last week.
DSWD-7 Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre told Cebu Daily News that they gave non-food items because the City Social Welfare and Development has already provided food items to the victims.
“To prevent duplication, we decided to give non-food items,” Macapobre said.
The non-food items included dining wares, hygiene kit and sleeping materials.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
