Text Scam Aggravates Deworming Adverse Effect to 305 School Children in Misamis Occidental and Landed in Hospitals…

Oroquieta City – With irresponsible and unreasonable text messages propagated by scammers aggravated the adverse effect suffered by some 305 Pupils in Misamis Occidental and landed them in hospital with stomach and abdominal pains, vomiting, headaches while their parents full of anxiety and fear rushed them for medical attention and help.

This was the incident that happened in this part of Northern Mindanao after DepED and DOH in Misamis Occidental participated in the nationwide advocacy and campaign to eradicate infestation of parasitic worms to school children from Kindergarten to Grade 6.

With the theme adopted for this year’s National Deworming Day (July 29) “Goodbye Bulate, Para maging malusog ang inyong mga Anak”, the Department’s Medical Division with the support and help of Local Government Units thru their Health Offices, Barangay Health Workers, including their parents were briefed thoroughly on the program and the effects of Deworming by giving them and drinking Albendazole (Anthelmintic) 400 mg. capsules.

Albendazole, an orange flavored and chewable medicine used for the treatment of a variety of parasitic worm infestation among children ages 5 years old up to 10-12 years of age, according to Dr. Elmo B. Serrano, Medical Officer III of Misamis Occidental Schools Division said that since 2006, they were using the medication in deworming their school children with the approval of the Department of Health.

 Misamis Occidental School Division has 1,629 Elementary Schools, 952 in the 1^st District and 677 in the second District excluding the three city school divisions, Tangub, Ozamiz and Oroquieta Cities.

Yesterday, during the simultaneous 10 AM schedule of the National Deworming Day schools were brief again together with the School Medical Staff, Barangay Health Workers, and even parents were present but before the school children were given the deworming medication they were fed for it is advised that school children must have eaten before the giving and drinking of the medication.

“No Consent, No Deworming” said Dr. Elmo B Serrano to those parent who doesn’t want their children to be given the medication. For the said deworming day is voluntary.

But before the simultaneous giving and drinking text messages erupted to everybody’s cellphones that in other part of the region particularly in Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Norte and other cities exposed negative results, like children dying because of the deworming.

Panic comes next…

In an interview with Dr. Fe Paler, DOH Provincial Officer of Misamis Occidental confirms that the text messages are not true and should not be accommodated for they investigated immediately, “Yes we conducted immediate inquiry of the text message but it was a hoax.” She said.

ARD Dr. Adriano Suba-an of DOH Region 10 who was getting in touch with the regions provincial officers, confirms that the news comes from an irresponsible reporter of a radio station, that he immediately called realizes that the message the reporter receives was also unconfirmed, the Assistant Regional Director confronted him and advise to refrain from broadcasting .

But because of transient reactions to school children who have not eaten their breakfast, children who are weak in resistance, it is normal that they will suffer mild abdominal pain and because of weak resistance they will also feel headaches, they will vomit, some with short breaths, that’s one reason they started crying Parents rushed to schools and started bringing their children to hospitals, Dr. Paler added in the interview.

As of 5PM, The Misamis Occidental PNP Provincial Office under Acting Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Archival Diokno Macala who also join in the conduct of investigation and monitoring, confirmed that more or less 305 school children of the 1, 629 elementary Schools were brought in the Misamis Occidental Hospitals and given immediate medical attention but no one dies.

Meanwhile, Governor Hermie Ramiro who is in Manila for the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Meeting together with its members and Dr. Rachel Micarandayo, Integrated Misamis Occidental Health Officer managed to contact its staff to assist at all means while conducting a thorough medical investigation.

As of this report, some of the 305 school children are now in their homes and free from the parasitic worms.

Meantime it was known that the DOH-DEPED National Deworming Day is to surpass Cambodia’s 85 % World Record in the Book of Guinness, and the next round of deworming will be on January 16, 2016 sources said.(MisOccNewsBureau)