Some students in flood-ravaged cities needing medicines, says DepEd

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Education’s health office in Northern Mindanao is seeking additional medical supplies as an official estimated that up to half of the class attendance suffered from respiratory ailments and skin and ear infections in the aftermath of destructive floods spawned by Tropical Storm “Sendong.”

Dr. Ella Naliponguit, DepEd medical officer for Region 10, estimated that “40 to 50 percent” of students who have returned to school in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro suffered from upper respiratory tract infection, ear infection and skin ailments.

The level of affliction remains manageable, however, as medical officers are able to provide treatment.

“It’s not alarming. Maybe 40 to 50 percent of students in affected schools have cough and cold, ear infections, and wounds, abrasions or fungal infection in their legs because of walking through mud,” Naliponguit told the Inquirer Thursday.

She said the regional DepEd health office has requested fresh supplies of medicine from the Department of Health and partners from the private sector to continue providing treatment to flood victims.

On the DepEd health office’s medicine checklist are antibiotics, paracetamol for fever, cough and cold medication, basic first aid medicines for wounds and abrasions, and vitamins to boost the immunity of students.

Amid reports of leptospirosis cases in flood-stricken areas, Naliponguit said most of the student population has been spared from the infection. Those who contracted the disease were quickly treated, she said.

She said DepEd has been pursuing a three-pronged program to rehabilitate students displaced by the storm—providing school supplies, stress debriefing and regular feeding.

“We’re focusing on rehabilitation now. We’re looking at how to make a more stable classroom environment for children and on making it normal again for them,” said Naliponguit.

She noted increasing attendance in schools even as DepEd continued to account for students still missing since the storm triggered a flash flood in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities a week before Christmas.

“We’re now at 70 to 80 percent attendance. We hope that by next week, we’ll be at 90 to 95 percent,” Naliponguit said.

More than 170,000 students are enrolled in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro schools, per DepEd statistics.