COTABATO CITY, April 20 (PNA) — The Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM) held a stakeholders forum on Monday to address cases of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), ARMM health officials said.
According to the World Health Organization, NTDs “are a diverse group of diseases with distinct characteristics that thrive mainly among the poorest populations.”
In the ARMM, these diseases include malaria, filariasis, schistosomiasis, rabies and food and water-borne diseases.
Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, ARMM health secretary, said the forum was aimed at strengthening ties among regional line agencies to totally eradicate these diseases because they affect a significant number of the region’s population.
DOH-ARMM records show high cases of malaria, filariasis and schistosomiasis in the island provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and Basilan. Further, food and water-borne diseases are rampant in the entire region, most commonly in coastal areas due to the lack of access to potable water and the prevalent practice of open defecation.
“Ang NTDs ay problema ng buong ARMM (NTDs has been a problem in the ARMM). Attention had been given but it is just not enough,” Sinolinding said.
“Kulang pa rin ang ginagawa natin at kulang pa rin ang response ng ating subject clients sa kanilang dapat na gagawin (What we are doing currently is not enough and the response of our clients are inadequate to contain the diseases),” he added.
Representatives of various line agencies gathered on Monday’s forum to discuss interventions made by the region to tackle NTDs.
Sinolinding said his agency cannot address the problem alone.
“The role of everyone is very important. With coordination and collaboration, magkakaroon ng ‘cascade effect’ from their office to their families to their community. We believe other agencies can also participate and help form solutions to this pressing problem,” he said.
He said DOH-ARMM is making significant headway in combating malaria through an intensified awareness campaign, improved case detection and case holding, and the provisions of better health facilities.
These interventions, he said, have brought down malaria cases in the region from 3,481 cases in 2009 to 807 as of 2014.
Sinolinding said resolving the problem on NTDs is life-saving and will help address the region’s poverty concerns.
He also urged the local government leaders to prioritize health in their programs this year. (PNA)