Dialysis patients in CL stands at 1,136

By Joelyn G. Baluyut

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, July 3 (PIA) -- Latest figures from the Philippine Renal Disease Registry (PRDR) show that 1,136 of the 9,769 dialysis patients nationwide are from Central Luzon.

Central Luzon Organ Sharing Effort (CLOSE) head Joy Mallari said this during Thursday's press conference at the Philippine Information Agency Regional Office III.

She said Pampanga topped the list in the region with 434; followed by Bulacan, 202; Nueva Ecija, 178; Tarlac, 140; Bataan,100; Zambales, 81; and Aurora with one.

Most of the patients were male at 607; females numbered at 529.

On the age bracket, the 51-to-60 bracket topped with 282 patients, followed by 61-70 with 262, and the 71-80 at 166 patients.

“And 37 patients were kidney transplanted in Region 3 alone,” Mallari added.

With this, Mallari advised the public to prevent dialysis, "one must maintain a healthy diet, exercise, lessen the intake of alcohol, and do regular check-ups.”

Central Luzon has a total of 65 dialysis centers and two transplant centers which are Angeles University Foundation Medical Center located in Pampanga and Jecsons Medical Center in Tarlac.

PRDR is a joint three-year project of National Kidney and Transplant Institute - Renal Disease Control Program and the Philippine Society of Nephrology, which started in May 2000.

The objective of the research is to provide a national perspective ofkidney disease and its treatment. (CLJD/JGB-PIA3)

Dengue cases in CL up by 12%

by: Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga July 3 (PIA) -- Department of Health-Center for Health Development 3 (DOH-CHD 3) recorded a 12-percent surge in dengue cases in Central Luzon from January to June 30 this year compared to the same period last year.

Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief Jesse Fantone disclosed in a press conference in Pampanga last Monday that Central Luzon placed second to National Capital Region with the highest cases in the entire archipelago at 6,241.

Of the seven provinces, Nueva Ecija has the most number of cases at 1,785 followed by Bulacan with 1,745, Pampanga- 1,167, Bataan- 677, Tarlac-488, Zambales-348 and Aurora- 31.

Fantone added that Dengue deaths in Region 3 totaled to 11 during the period with Nueva Ecija registering the most at five followed by Pampanga with three, and Bataan, Bulacan and Tarlac with one each.

As the number of cases continues to rise, DOH-CHD 3 urges the public to conduct clean-up drives in their respective communities and destroy all possible breeding sites of mosquitoes such as old tires and tin cans.

The agency emphasized the importance of cleaning not only the homes and schools but also places like churches and markets as well as the streets and public playgrounds as you cannot pinpoint where one gets bitten by a dengue-carrying mosquito.

Dengue is a disease caused by the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquito.

These mosquitoes bite during daytime. Headache, fever, muscle and joint pains and skin rashes characterize the disease. In extreme cases, bleeding of the gums and nose may occur. (WLB/CLJD-PIA 3)