- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The City Health Office said cholera bacteria, confirmed by stool culture and sensitivity, were found in barangays Mansilingan, Tangub, and Sum-ag, while 56 acute gastroenteritis (AGE) cases were logged from Sept. 1 to 28 from one hospital only.
This as Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environmental Sanitation Division, said that 95 of the 204 water refilling stations (WRS) inspected, as of Sept. 30, have no sanitary or business permits and were ordered to stop operations, pending compliance with regulatory requirements.
Tan submitted the report during the public hearing on the proposed ordinance establishing the Bacolod Drinking Water Quality and Safety Monitoring Committee, initiated by Councilor Em Legaspi Ang Oct. 4.
She said that of the 56 AGE cases, 11 were recorded in Barangay Singcang with seven suspected as cholera, five cases each in barangays 35 and Mansilingan, four in Villamonte, and the rest in about 15 other barangays of Bacolod.
An increase of cases was reported in Singcang in the first week of September, thus investigation was done, the report said, adding that water for drinking was found to come from different refilling stations of varied raw sources, and food sources also varied.
Of the three cholera patients confirmed by stool culture, one is a housewife, another a student, and a working mother, the report said.
“All confirmed positive for cholera had pour flush toilet with septic tank”, and water sources for domestic use include a deep well and an open dug well, while the drinking water supply comes from different stations, it added.
Tan said they have coordinated with the barangays for the tracing of cases, and case finding for other active cases; collected water and stool samples of active cases for confirmatory testing and facilitated transport to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; collected water samples for presumptive testing for coliforms; and coordinated with Baciwa-PrimeWater to check the water quality, among others.
Michael Soliva of the Bacolod City Water District, meanwhile, said at the public hearing that they will help the CHO in the information and education campaign for chlorination of community water sources, such as private wells.
Tan also suggested the addition of the City Legal Officer in the composition of the proposed Water Quality and Safety Monitoring Committee.
City Budget Officer Imelda Williams said the funding provision of the proposed ordinance, at P300,000 during the initial operation, is acceptable, adding the City has enough funds for it, Ang said in her committee report that was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod during its 14th regular session Oct. 5./CGC
