BAGUIO CITY— The Department of Health Cordillera organized Kapihan Sa Baguio on March 6th, focusing on various updates and topics. Among these was a discussion on the health effects of El Niño.
Dr. Jennifer Joice Pira, a Medical Officer IV from the Disease Prevention and Control Cluster, served as the speaker, shedding light on the concerning effects of this weather phenomenon.
El Niño, characterized by a warm phase and irregular periodicity, brings about heightened temperatures and various environmental challenges. According to Dr. Pira, some of the common impacts of El Niño are the depletion or reduction of potable water sources, poor environmental sanitation, and increased breeding of vectors resulting in higher and faster risk of the spread of infectious diseases such as chikungunya and dengue.
Furthermore, it was noted that El Niño’s effects will impact both humans and animals with common effects including dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. These effects contribute significantly to the high rates of hospitalization experienced during the El Niño season.
In addressing these challenges, Dr. Pira recommended that the public consistently maintain hydration by drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day and adhere to the Department of Health’s seven healthy habits. She stated “If you are feeling unwell, anything out of the ordinary, magpacheck up na. Wag dapat natin ito ipinagsasawalang bahala kasi pwedeng magprogress siya sa worse na kondisyon na hindi natin alam”
Concluding the conference, she emphasized, “Para sa el Niño, keep yourself hydrated and avoid going under the sun for long periods of time, and lastly, practice natin yung 7 healthy habits.”
~Adrian Paul Andiso~
**Photo courtesy: David Yu – Pexels**
