• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The establishment of a drinking water analysis laboratory is now being entertained by the provincial government of Negros Occidental to address the need for a cheaper and faster examination of water samples.
Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan, provincial health officer, said yesterday the proposal was presented, following a visit by representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) to Negros Occidental, who took note of the cases of water-borne diseases in some local government units (LGUs) in the province.
WHO and DOH representatives visited Talisay City, Silay City and E.B. Magalona, which had recorded high number of cholera cases.
From January to November 4 this year, the Provincial Health Office logged 91 suspected cases of cholera, of which eight had died.
The report added that 23 out of the 31 LGUs in Negros Occidental, excluding the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, have at least one suspected case of cholera.
Murcia has the most number of cholera cases at 19, followed by San Carlos City with 14 and Talisay City, with nine.
Pinongan noted that LGUs have a hard time conducting real-time analysis of water samples as they have to bring it to private laboratories in Bacolod City.
She suggested to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson the putting up of a Category C water analysis laboratory.
“We are looking at utilizing our district hospitals so that every district in the province can easily test water samples,” Pinongan said. | GB
