Sunday, September 13, 2009

The DOOMED children of Malapascua

The DOOMED children of Malapascua

Is it an deatth Penalty to live or stay in Malapascua, that little Island north of Cebu with about 7000 residents and up to 700 tourist additional per month average ?

Again on 29.August 2009 the tragic death hit Malapascua when little 1 year old girl CHRIS LORENZE ALAJID, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald / Erlita ALAJID, Sitio Indonacion, Barangay Logon, died.

Chris Lorenze got sick caused of Measels. Measels could be prevented by vaccination but there is no HOSPITAL on Malapascua and no Doctor who could help. Measles - underestimated danger, Vaccination protects against lethal consequences. Disease progresses in two phases , If one has been infected, asymptomatic incubation period is the eight to twelve days. The initial symptoms are still nonspecific, the child feels unwell, has a cold and dry cough, swollen, red eyes and sore throat, fever rises slightly. At this time there is danger of infection for about a week. Only two or three days later show themselves in the mouth to the back teeth calcareous grayish-white spots. If the spots are as follows with great certainty until a late three days and the rash, which can - stretch starting with small red spots - all over the body and spread to within two to three days abates. This is the second phase of the disease. So it happend to little Chris Lorenze.

For every seventh child, this disease leads to complications. By the measles virus in the body's natural defenses are weakened, which makes the child vulnerable to infections of all kinds. As long as not all children are vaccinated against measles, there will always be problems. People who receive after her tenth birthday or as adults measles disease is two to three times more likely to encephalitis as children under five.

There must be a hospital in Malapascua and there must be a doctor to give cost free protective vaccination to alle childs of Malapascua. In order to eradicate measles, one needs a clear vaccination strategy that reaches all children in the second year of life. Particularly in community organizations can quickly spread measles. Unvaccinated children have not only become a high risk of disease - they also threaten the health of others, so it happend to little Chris Lorenza. The scheme under which all children must be vaccinated against measles before they can attend a community institution, has proved effective in many countries as very successful. Because there is still some 240,000 children worldwide die each year from measles, on Malapascua Island estimated 20 children each year - it is a dangerous disease.

The Governeur of Cebu GWEN GARCIA has taken the administration of Malapascua Island (also formerly known as LOGON Island). So she is responsible for the health of the childs, residents and visitors of Malapascua. This responsibility for Malapascua can be perceived by building a small hospital with a doctor 24 hours standby and an appropriate health plan for the population. It is a scandal, cause there is already construction plan, a property for a hospital and there also is construction material. See also article :


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3 comments:

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  2. I am coming to retire in RP in Jan 2010. I will be doing some volunteer medical work near where I will be living (I have an ages-old medical backgropund). It ought not to be a difficult task to arrange a yearly vaccination for small children by a volunteer. Administration of the vaccine is easy with co-operation from locals, and the vaccinator needs only remain a few hours or a couple days to observe and treat any reaction, which is a very rare occurrence. Vaccine is cheap. Could be combined with a pleasure trip.

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