MIWD sets series of dialogs in typhoid-stricken barangays
In a bid to address the problem on typhoid fever, the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) is conducting a series of dialogs in the different barangays in the City Proper.
MIWD Interim General Manager Edwin Reyes said the dialog, dubbed as "Hinun-anon sa Barangay", is centered on the 16 barangays with suspected outbreaks of typhoid fever. The information caravan is necessary to educate the consumers on the importance of safe drinking water.
The first dialog was held last March 12 at barangays Duran, Concepcion and Veterans Village. Another dialog was held on March 14 at Gen. Hughes and on March 25 at Zamora-Melliza-de la Rama.
The forthcoming dialogs will be on April 1 for barangays Legaspi, Muelle Loney and Monica-Blumentritt; April 8 for Ma. Clara and Ortiz; April 15 for Rima-Rizal and Rizal Ibarra; April 22 for Rizal-Pala 1 & 2; April 29 for Rizal-Estanzuela and May 6 for Bonifacio-Tanza and Tanza-Baybay.
The dialog is also one way of bringing the water district's services closer to the consumers. Proper hygiene and sanitation are given emphasis during the gathering in order to address the health problems of the affected residents, said Reyes.
Aside from holding dialogs, the water district is checking and conducting repairs on defective and old water pipes in affected barangays. Flushing is also done on water pipes that connects the affected barangays to further avoid typhoid cases.
The water supplier where samples were taken was also ordered to stop selling water pending the result of bacteriological examinations. The City Health Office (CHO) had been exerting efforts to address the typhoid cases by assisting barangay health workers in giving necessary information to contain typhoid cases before it gets worst. There are already four reported deaths and 217 victims of typhoid cases in the city.