Home | To bottom

Transparency on meningococcemia crisis

January 7, 2005

To the majority of the people of Baguio, the central issue behind the meningococcemia crisis, if we may call it so, is transparency. From the onset of this issue, city health officials and even the Department of Health (DOH) and the Local Government Unit seem to have found every reassuring word to allay the fears of the different sectors in the city.

Alas, even the words of the different medical books on meningococcemia cannot stop the decline of the businesses in the city, the atmosphere of alarm, panic and uncertainty among the communities, and more so, the growing number of fatalities from the disease.

First, the officials stated that this problem is just a “clustered outbreak.” Whatever they meant with that term is contradicted by their own declaration that at least 18 to 21 barangays in the city are affected with at least one case of the disease since March 2004. Uncertainties set in when even the city government cannot divulge what these barangays are even to the Association of Barangay Captains in a recent meeting with them. They believed that the action will avoid mass hysteria.

But then again, the suggestion of a DOH official for a “biological quarantine” of the affected barangays, and the declaration of a “state of calamity” by the city government, plus the more aggressive distribution of chemoprophylaxis, and the massive clean-up drive, are not at all reassuring. These underscore the picture of an epidemic – which may not be happening right now, but we may never know, they’re not telling us the real picture. And no measures seem to be definitive. All are still clueless, even that radio commentator who talks too much but is just as clueless as everybody.

It seems however, that a step most likely to control such an epidemic is vaccination. The DOH however, does not recommend vaccination but “if one can get hold of the vaccine and can afford the cost…,” then we can get ourselves injected with the vaccine – this advice was given after spending half of a lecture about meningococcemia, on vaccination, their modes of actions, indications, adverse effects and all.

Unknown to everybody, the first batch of vaccines was available in the city as early as November last year, a week after the media highlighted an unusual number of fatalities from suspected meningococcemia cases. In December last year, DOH officials and some doctors of the BGHMC were said to have received the vaccines already.

This past week, an institution was said to have procured at least 30 vials of vaccine for its employees. None however was alloted for those directly handling patients, according to a source inside the institution.

“For us to get the vaccine, money will talk, but power and position will prevail eventually…” added the source. Those who apparently received the vaccine were those entrenched in the offices, who accordingly are just receiving reports. “They are never into the thick of the action…”

And indeed, if the vaccines can be procured by the private sector then why not the government through the DOH and the Baguio Health Department. If it would be for a cost, then let it be paid for by the citizens – but at a more affordable rate than those offered by the opportunists in our midst (bivalent vaccines actually costs Php 700 to a thousand per shot at most and sold at PhP 1500; quadrivalent vaccines cost P1500 per shot but given commercially at Php 1800 to 2500.00).

At most, it should be given free to the people who most need it… the immediate contacts of the fatalities and the confirmed cases and the health workers on the grounds who also risk their lives and limbs for the care of their patients. God forbids that one of them will fall for the love of their works and training, before the different health institutions and their administrators put a value to “least” of their subordinates.

(The writer’s name has been withheld upon request—Eds.)

Home | Back to top