Dengue cases usually peaks during the rainy season, around July and August. Consider also the recent water interruptions in Metro Manila. People are storing water in containers that when left stagnant, can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
A friend recently shared a story of a pregnant mother who died from dengue. There were no symptoms she said. Not until she noticed some blood from her nose. They immediately brought her to the hospital but it was too late. The baby did not survive either. Both were diagnosed with Dengue. Both wonderful lives lost.
It's scary that even if we are vigilant, symptoms may not be as obvious as we expect it to be. With dengue hemorrhagic fever being one of the leading causes of serious illness and death among children in Asian countries including the Philippines, we cannot be too careful. Children 12 years old and below are most vulnerable. Younger children may not be able to express or identify their symptoms. Our role as parents is to ensure that we protect our children and prevent them from having the virus in the first place.
As of now, there is no vaccine yet available to make us immune from this virus. The Department of Health previously reported that a vaccine may be available as of July 2015 but it had not come to fruition. The Sanofi Pasteur Dengue Vaccine is still under clinical study and may not be completed until 2017¹. The key to prevention is address the root cause: avoid and kill the deadly virus-carrying mosquitoes. Below is one of the most complete infographic I found about Dengue.
inforgraphic from Regenestem Asia
Dengue can be fatal but early diagnosis can prevent this from happening. As soon as you see any sign, even if it's a slight fever, consult your physician immediately. Some of the victims died because it was not diagnosed early on. I know some cases when the victim's family could not bring the patient to the hospital because they did not have the money to spend. Please know that DOH and PhilHealth will cover the expenses for dengue patients admitted to government hospitals. Money should not be a reason why anyone will dies from dengue.
A few months ago, we won P10,000 worth of Pioneer MediCash Dengue Insurance. I just signed up on the Pioneer booth's guests lists during the Mommy Mundo Expo Mom Bazaar last May. A few weeks after, I received a message that I won. Pioneer Medicash Dengue Insurance provides 1 year of coverage for ages 1 to 70 years old. When diagnosed with dengue, an insured can claim P10,000 lump sum medical cash assistance, even if the condition does not require hospital confinement. It can be purchased for only only P350. Small amount compared to the life that could be saved.
I planned on including a Pioneer MediCash Dengue Insurance during my 1st year blog anniversary giveaway but I had to pause the blog then. Now is the perfect time to share this blessing. This is not a sponsored giveaway. I just believe that there are other families out there that can benefit from this dengue insurance.
To get the chance to get your own Pioneer Medicash Dengue Insurance, just follow the rafflecopter below. Giveaway will run until November 15.
a Rafflecopter giveaway