IRC to find solution to dengue problem

ADDRESSING the dengue problem in the country is among the priorities of the International Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific.

“We focus in developing programs for the health of infants, transportation systems and pollution, etc. We have to develop detailed plans to address the dengue problem in the Philippines,” (ICS) Regional Committee for Asia and Pacific Chair Professor Bruce H.J. Mckellar told Cebu Daily News.

Mckellar was in town for the 12th Regional Committee Meeting for Asia and the Pacific on Nov. 11 at the Marriott Hotel Cebu attended by scientists, psychologists and physicists in Asia.

He explained that ICS is a small organization but they will conduct “workshops” to lower down the dengue cases in the country.

“We will raise money and we want to involve not just scientists but also urban governments to identify the problems and find the key solutions. We will put these things together in a scientific manner,” he said.

Mckellar also suggested that the government should have proper urban planning before putting up additional flyovers in the city.

As a first-time visitor, he said he is impressed with Cebu’s environmental conservation efforts and the Cebuanos’ love for quality education.

“I noticed that tree planting is very positive here. People cling on to education. I am impressed with the level of education of the people here,” Mckellar said.

In a separate interview, Dr. Alvin Culaba, president of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP), said NRCP has more than 3,000 researchers in the country covering 13 areas like energy, biofuels, health, natural products, climate change and technologies for pollution.

Culaba said research and development technology in the country lacks funds.

“We lack laboratory facilities. We also need funding. We have researchers and warm bodies but we lack equipment. We need advance state-of- the-art equipment,” Culaba said.