Dengue cases breach 130,000 mark

THE Department of Health (DOH) said Friday that it has recorded a total of 132,046 dengue cases from January to October this year, despite the massive government campaign against the disease caused by mosquitoes.

The figures are higher by 24.92 percent than last year’s 105,702, according to the latest Dengue Surveillance Report of the DOH–National Epidemiology Center (NEC). Less than 130,000 cases have been recorded overall last year.
Dengue patients that perished also continue to rise from 577 last year to 701 this year.

Dr. Eric Tayag, DOH-NEC head, earlier said that all the four strains of dengue – Types 1, 2, 3 and 4 – are present already in the country but strains 2 and 3 are usually the ones in circulation in the Philippines.
Those who got infected with dengue Type 2 and 3, for instance, develop immunity from these strains until the following year, but not from the other strains.
Tayag previously said the DOH is looking to limit the dengue cases for the whole of 2012 at only 80,000.

Majority of the cases this year are in the National Capital Region (NCR) with 26,958; followed by Central Luzon with 20,846; and Calabarzon with 20,683.

The regions where there is a sharp rise of cases are in Zamboanga Peninsula from 1,165 to 3,800 (226 percent); Western Visayas from 2,809 to 8,965 (219 percent); Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao from 232 to 735 (216 percent); Northern Mindanao from 1,751 to 5,387 (207 percent); and Davao Region from 3,146 to 7,943 (152 percent).

More than half or 52.8 percent of the dengue victims were found to be male, said the report. Also, 40 percent of the cases were also found to belong to the 1 to 10 age group. (HDT/Sunnex)

This can attack you anytime.

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Food or Water?

 

A person can live without food for about a month, but only about a week without water.

Smokers get ten times more wrinkles than non-smokers.

Smokers get ten times more wrinkles than non-smokers.

Smokers get ten times more wrinkles than non-smokers.

French Kiss is a Dirty Kissing?

French kissing should be renamed dirty kissing.There are 500 different types of bacteria in your mouth, 50% of them live on your tongue.

SOURCE: @SexFactsOfLife via Twitter

Reproductive Health Bill: Good or Bad?

It’s been almost 14years since RH bill was proposed to congress in 1988; countless debates have been going on ever since on whether it would really benefit the country and our people?

The CBCP and Roman Catholic Church strongly protest the bill because it’s immoral and according to them will set the stage for other anti-life laws or so-called D.E.A.T.H. bills (acronym for death, euthanasia, abortion, two-child policy, and homosexuality).

On the other hand President Aquino and some members of Congress believe that the bill will promote sustainable human development in the country, it is needed to reduce high birthrates among the poor. The United Nations stated in 2002 that “family planning and reproductive health are essential to reducing poverty”.

What is RH Bill?

The Reproductive Health (RH) bill promotes information on and access to both natural and modern family planning methods, which are medically safe and legally permissible.

It assures an enabling environment where women and couples have the freedom of informed choice on the mode of family planning they want to adopt based on their needs, personal convictions and religious beliefs. The bill does not have any bias for or against either natural or modern family planning. Both modes are contraceptive methods. Their common purpose is to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

It proposes that the Philippine government and the private sector will fund and undertake widespread distribution of family planning devices such as condoms, birth control pills (BCPs) and IUDs.

Coverage of the RH Bill:

1. Information and access to natural and modern family planning.
2. Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition.
3.  Promotion of breast feeding.
4. Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications.
5. Adolescent and youth health.
6. Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and STDs.
7. Elimination of violence against women.
8. Counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health.
9. Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers.
10. Male involvement and participation in RH.
11. Prevention and treatment of infertility.
12. Age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education from fifth grade to high school.

Support and Criticism of the RH Bill:

Those that support the RH argue that:

1. Economic studies, especially the experience in Asia show that rapid population growth and high fertility rates, especially among the poor, exacerbate poverty and make it harder for the government to address it.
2. Empirical studies show that poverty incidence is higher among big families. Smaller families and wider birth intervals could allow families to invest more in each child’s education, health, and nutrition which will eventually reduce poverty and hunger at the household level.
3.  Maternal deaths could be reduced if they had access to basic healthcare and essential minerals like iron and calcium, according to the DOH.
4. Studies show that 44% of the pregnancies in poor families are unanticipated, and among the poorest women who would like to avoid pregnancy at least 41% do not use any contraceptive method because of lack of information or access. “Among the poorest families, 22% of married women of reproductive age express a desire to avoid pregnancies but are still not using any family planning method.
5. Use of contraception, which the World Health Organization has listed as essential medicines, will lower the rate of abortions as it has done in other parts of the world, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
6. An SWS survey of 2008 showed that 71% of the respondents are in favor of the bill.
7. At the heart of the bill is the free choice given to people on the use of reproductive health, enabling the people, especially the poor to have the number of children they want and can care for.

Those that oppose the RH Bill argue that:

1. “The world’s leading scientific experts” have resolved the issues related to the bill and show that the “RH Bill is based on wrong economics” as the 2003 Rand Corporation study shows that “there is little cross-country evidence that population growth impedes or promotes economic growth”.
2. The bill takes away limited government funds from treating many high priority medical and food needs and transfers them to fund objectively harmful and deadly devices. The latest studies in scientific journals and organizations show that the ordinary birth control pills and the IUD kill the embryonic human, who as such are human beings equally worthy of respect, making the bill unconstitutional.
3. US National Defense has shown empirical evidence that contraceptives have deleterious social effects (abortion, premarital sex, female impoverishment, fatherless children, teenage pregnancies, and poverty). Harvard School of Public Health observes that ‘when people think they’re made safe by using condoms at least some of the time, they actually engage in riskier sex’, in the phenomenon called “risk compensation”. There is evidence for increased risk of cancer (breast, cervical, liver) as well as significant increase of risk for heart attack and stroke for current users of oral contraceptives. The increased usage of contraceptives, which implies that some babies are unwanted, will eventually lead to more abortion; the correlation was shown in a scientific journal and acknowledged by pro-RH leaders.
4. People’s freedom to access contraceptives is not restricted by any opposing law, being available in family planning NGOs, stores, etc. The Philippines is not a welfare state: taxpayer’s money should not be used for personal practices that are harmful and immoral; it can be used to inform people of the harm of BCPs.
5. The penal provisions constitute a violation of free choice and conscience, and establish religious persecution.

The Big Questions:

1. After reading this article are you in favor or against the RH bill?
2. Will it benefit the Philippines and its people? How?
3. Is it a “Moral Evil? Why?

Aging – Women’s Health

There are 12 things that women should know about their health and aging. These things include the health issues that may affect them and things they can do to stay healthy.

1. Heart disease – Women over 55 have more chance of having a heart attack than younger women. The symptoms of a heart attack for women can be quite different than with men. In a study, the most commonly reported symptoms were not chest pain or discomfort but fatigue, interrupted sleep, and shortness of breath. In many cases, women experienced these symptoms for as long as a month before actually having the heart attack.
2. Cancer – Older women must face the elevated chances of cervical, colon and breast cancer.
3. Stroke – It is proven that more women than men have strokes.
4. Injuries – Caused by falling.
5. Failing vision can often affects seniors, women or men. Vision tests and tests for glaucoma should be done every year.
6. Consequences of menopause like osteoporosis. The loss of hormones because of menopause can start to affect the bones around age 50. Senior women should continue to take Calcium with vitamin D to help prevent the onset of this degenerative bone disease.
7. Disabilities – The rate of disabilities in women is higher than in men because women with disabilities tend to live longer than a man with similar afflictions.
8. Senior women can lower the chances of becoming disabled by taking good care of their bodies with healthy diets, staying physically active and exercise regularly, controlling stress, and making regular visits to the doctor.
9. Senior women may have a lower income level than men. They may not have spent as much time working because of raising a family and all too often women make less money than men. This makes planning for financial future very important for senior women.
10. There are disparities in health for older women who are minorities. While they face the same health problems, their overall health is often not as good and they may not have as may health services available to them.
11. Good nutrition is vital for good health, especially in the later years. A diet that has lots of vegetables and fruit and fewer fats and processed food are recommended.
12. Keep a healthy weight. This can be done by following a healthy diet and getting regular exercises. Weight bearing exercises like walking will also help keep osteoporosis at bay.

These include:

• Pap tests to check for cervical cancer.
• Mammograms that look for unusual lumps are masses in the breasts. It is very important for women over 50 to have one once a year.
• Either a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy to look for polyps that may be responsible for colon cancer.
• Bone density screenings to test the strength of the bones.

Menopause can dry up your eyes

(The Philippine Star, July 24, 2012, Pg. D-2)Manila, Philippines – If something isn’t right with your body, chances are it’s reflected in your eyes. Experts have long known that our eyes are more than windows to the soul, they are also windows to one’s health condition. In fact, the eyes can reveal certain health problems that we are often unaware of.
One example is the presence of dry eyes among older women. Ranging from mild to severe, this condition affects around 60 percent of women undergoing menopause — and they are usually unaware of any connection between the two. That’s because menopause is known to be associated with mood swings, vaginal dryness, fatigue, hot flashes, and other signs — except dry eyes.
Hormonal changes associated with menopause may lead to decreased tear production that is at the root of the dry eye condition. Tears protect and lubricate the eyes, making them function properly. If left untreated, this dryness may leave the eyes susceptible to increased risk of infection. The cornea can develop ulcers or become scarred, leading to serious visual impairment. Common symptoms of dry eyes include a scratchy or gritty feeling, sensitivity to light or fluctuating vision.
Menopausal or otherwise, those who are affected by the dry eyes syndrome should consult an eye expert immediately. Eye-care professionals like the EyeMDs at American Eye Center can properly evaluate the condition of your eyes and discuss treatment options. These range from the use of artificial tears or gels and anti-inflammatory drops, to supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids.
American Eye Center has a highly qualified team of doctors trained in various subspecialties, so you can be sure to receive thorough diagnosis on whatever eye condition you may have. Moreover, since its establishment in 1995, American Eye Center has been known for breaking new ground in ophthalmic care, as it continues to drive technological innovations to complement its doctors’ competence with the world’s most advanced surgical procedures that ensure consistent speed, safety, and precision.

Image Source: Steady Health