Milestone for South Cotabato

Koronadal City — South Cotabato bagged the “Best Rabies Program Implementer” in the recent ceremony organized by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health in time for the World Rabies Day.

The National Rabies Control and Prevention Program awarded the plaque of recognition to the Provincial Government of South Cotabato for its unwavering implementation to control and prevent rabies among animals and human.

Two department chiefs of the capitol received the award.

Meanwhile, there are now two health facilities in South Cotabato that are capable to handle human rabies cases, as confirmed by John Codilla, rabis program coordinator, said.

COdilla said the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital and the Upper Valley Community Hospital have isolation room intended for people infected with rabies.

“We already issued a memo to all government hospitals in the province to provide special rooms for patients with rabies,” he said.

In 2018, the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit reported five persons died because of rabies. The September 17 case is the recent case in the province.

PESU said deaths because of rabies were recorded in the towns of Tupi (2), Lake Sebu (2) and Banga (1).

All of the victims were bitten by unvaccinated dogs, Codilla said.

The province has nine Animal Bite Treatment Centers except in the towns of Tupi and Tampakan and four Animal Bite Centers (private hospitals). /