Department of Health-Mimaropa Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo has ordered the immediate disinfection and sanitation of the Oriental Mindoro Provincial Jail due to the outbreak of chicken pox among inmates.
The move will also prevent the increasing number of skin diseases due to jail congestion, Janairo said.
“The risk of infection is very high because of the overcrowded cells where inmates are being detained. That is why a regular disinfection and sanitation is a must, especially now that we have rising cases of chicken pox,” he said.
“We must ensure that viruses and bacteria in all the cell blocks are eliminated and will not transmit infectious pathogens to inmates,” Janairo added.
Bacteria, virus and other micro-organisms (such as chickenpox, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections) are transmitted through direct contact, which occurs when one person infects the next by direct person-to-person contact, and indirect contact, which occurs when an intermediate carrier is involved in the spread of pathogens (a microbe or microorganism such as a virus, bacterium or fungus that causes disease in its host).
Data from the DoH-Mimaropa Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit showed that as of Sept. 6, 112 inmates were afflicted with chicken pox, 64 with boils, and four with fungal infection.
Janairo also disclosed that 50 inmates have cough, 15 have colds, and three with fever. Also, three inmates were found to be HIV positive.
“These cases will further increase because of the overcrowded living conditions inside the jail that is why we have immediately conducted medical interventions to assure that each of these cases will receive proper treatment and medical assistance,” warned Janairo added.
Four DoH-Mimaroma staff were also infected with chicken pox during the mass screening for inmates held on Aug. 22 to 31 at OMPJ.
As of Sept. 17, 868 detainees are currently admitted at OMPJ.
The DoH official said misting operations were also done all over the provincial jail to eliminate mosquitoes and other insect-causing diseases.
He said comfort rooms, shower areas and living quarters were all sanitized. Various medicines such as amoxicillin, cloxacillin, fungal cream, multivitamins, anti-hypertension, lagundi, mefenamic acid, betadine and cotton were turned over to OMPJ including one box of disinfectant solution.
The disinfection and sanitation activity at OMPJ was provided by DoH-Mimaropa in coordination with the officials of Bureau of Fire Protection and the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro.
“This will be the start of a series of scheduled sanitation and disinfection of prisons and penitentiaries in Mimaropa. Only through cleanliness and proper hygiene can we protect ourselves and prevent the spread of diseases,” Janairo said.
