MANILA, (PNA) — Individuals who will spend the whole day in the cemetery on All Saints Day are advised against eating unsanitary street food or suffer the possible consequence of diarrhea or, worst, food poisoning.
The simplest way to prevent this is to bring your own food and water and avoid those that can easily get spoiled, the Department of Health (DOH) advised.
DOH advised the public to avoid food commonly sold on the streets as one cannot tell if the food is contaminated or not until after consumption.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) food-borne illness caused by microorganisms is a large and growing public health problem.
Approximately 1.8 million children in developing countries (excluding China) died from diarrheal disease in 1998, caused by microbiological agents, mostly originating from food and water, the WHO stated.
The DOH also advised parents against bringing babies and small children to the cemetery because they are more prone to acquiring diseases and other infections due to their low resistance.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Enrique Ona also appealed to bus operators and other transport owners to deploy more buses during the celebration.
Unplanned trips and overcrowding of passengers in public conveyances, or even privately owned vehicles, are common causes of accidents, Ona explained.
All DOH hospitals nationwide will be on code white alert (readiness to respond to emergency situations) for possible occurrence of health emergencies during the observance of All Saints’ Day.
The DOH is closely coordinating with local government units (LGUs), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) who will also be deploying medical teams near cemeteries.
Emergency service personnel, nurses and administrative staff residing at hospital dormitories will be on an on-call status for immediate mobilization.