CORDILLERA – The regional health office is urging local government units and the public to prioritize handwashing and the use of alcohol-based sanitizers to prevent the spread of mpox and other communicable diseases.
According to Philippines News Agency, Nurse V and chief of the Department of Health – Cordillera region’s communications management unit, it’s crucial to reintegrate the practice of hand hygiene into daily routines. During a recent interview, Austria emphasized the need to maintain a high level of preparedness similar to pandemic protocols. “We have many behavioral nudges and had a lot of handwashing facilities. These are gone post-pandemic, so we need to revive them,” she noted.
Mpox, which is transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, can be effectively combated through diligent handwashing, the use of sanitizers, and the disinfection of high-contact surfaces in places like massage boutiques and hotels. Although mpox has not yet reached the Cordillera region, its presence in other parts of the Philippines has prompted local health authorities to advocate for these preventive measures.
Furthermore, Austria highlighted the effectiveness of the Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat, and Reintegrate (PDITR) strategy, which was instrumental during the pandemic and is now applied to various illnesses. “We are prompting the LGUs to prepare infection prevention control and practices, which are standards and if we adhere to that standard, we expect to have that level of preparedness,” she added.