UP Ibalon Bicol: Makati

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Prayers pour in for ailing Pres. Cory Aquino

7/24/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

From simple Filipino folks to no less that Pope Benedict XVI, many are praying for the healing and comfort of Pres. Cory Aquino who is stricken ill by terminal colonic cancer. The former President, who is a pillar of fortitude, honesty, and grace, has been diagnosed with the deadly malignant abdominal disease last year.

Apostolic Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams said Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope’s secretary of state, sent a message as follows:

“The Holy Father has asked that you be informed that he is remembering you in his prayers. At the same time, he invokes upon you the blessing of Almighty God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in pledge of healing and comfort.” ----Philstar (07/24/09, Macairan, E.)

Having refused further treatment, Aquino, the 76-year old devout Catholic who led the country during the dark days when Pres. Ferdinand Marcos was kicked out from office, is confined at the Makati Medical Center. She was reported to have lost appetite and weight.

Her daughter Kris Aquino said, she had been suffering pain as a result of the cancer. On her hospital bed at one point, she summoned her 5 children to be with her. Yellow ribbons hang outside the hospital and elsewhere in Manila to pay homage to Ninoy Aquino's widow--- reminiscent of her days when she led the country from the tyranny of Marcos rule. The ailing president was erroneously reported as dead, obviously by irresponsible person(s) not authorize to speak for the Aquino family. (Photo Credit: ManilaRyce/ Time) =0=

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Labels: cancer, Catholic, colon, colon cancer, Cory Aquino, illness, Kris Aquino, Makati, malignancy, Pope Benedict XVI, prayers, Totie Mesia, treatment, Vatican, yellow ribbons

Cory Aquino very ill

7/21/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Not long after former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino refused further medical treatment for advanced colonic malignancy, she is fast deteriorating. Her daughter actress Kris Aquino announced that she would temporarily quit her job to give time to her ailing mother who is confined in Makati Medical Center.

Within a year after it was publicly disclosed that the ex-president had cancer, she went through laparoscopic colectomy and chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer which caused her to lose weight and appetite. From the medical standpoint, her prospect of recovery had been poor.

The whole country who recognizes Cory as an upright, devout, and honest woman pray for her comfort and healing. Many Filipinos are saddened that in the past few weeks, she has suffered weakness and pain related to to her illness. (Photo Credit: Joe Galvez) =0=

RELATED BLOG: Pres. Cory Aquino to undergo cancer surgery Posted by mesiamd at 5/01/2009; Cory Aquino returns to hospital; Cory Aquino returns to hospital Posted by mesiamd at 6/25/2009

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Labels: cancer, chemotherapy, colon, colon cancer, illness, Makati, malignancy, prayers, Pres. Corazon Aquino, Totie Mesia, treatment

Politics of Health: Give the flu vaccines to those who need them most

6/15/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

The number of H1N1 flu infection ominously jumped from 111 to 147 cases and health authorities reported brisk community transmission in Nueva Ecija----suggesting that more cases are cropping up and the flu is getting harder to control.

As a response, the government said 8,000 Makati City employees will be given free flu shots on Monday to prevent the seasonal flu, not the H1N1 viral infection. The government thinks mass vaccination against the common flu at a cost of P2.8 million will help track down by “elimination” those with swine flu. But health authorities know that giving the vaccine doesn't completely assure seasonal flu will be avoided.

“We have prioritized the immunization against seasonal or common flu of our city workers, especially our frontline and field workers, not only to strengthen their defenses against respiratory diseases, but also to help us in promptly identifying possible cases of A(H1N1),” Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said.---Philippine Daily Inquirer (06/14/09, Lopez, A.)

Really?

The seasonal flu vaccine is not expected to be effective in preventing the H1N1 flu. At best, the justification that swine flu can be detected by “elimination” is faulty because there are many illnesses which present with flu-like symptoms. If one means to control the viral disease, it’s not by “elimination.” Doctors need the right diagnosis, even if influenzas in general have essentially the same treatment.

To identify H1N1 flu or seasonal flu, a lab test like the one done at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) must be done. This makes one to consider if Mayor Binay’s decision to administer the vaccine is in line with good medical judgment. Why don't politicians like Binay leave the medical decisions to Dr. Francisco Duque III and the Department of Health (DOH?)

Government employees, unless they are in the high risk group, hardly qualify as the priority group to get the vaccines. Though workers may receive them, the government in triaging patients, must give the vaccines to those who need them most as shown below. On the process of production, it will take sometime before the new H1N1 vaccine will be readily available in the market:

2008-09 INFLUENZA PREVENTION & CONTROL RECOMMENDATIONS
Center for Disease Control

Vaccination of all children aged 6 months–18 years should begin before or during the 2008–09 influenza season if feasible, but no later than during the 2009–10 influenza season. Vaccination of all children aged 5–18 years is a new ACIP recommendation.

Children and adolescents at high risk for influenza complications should continue to be a focus of vaccination efforts as providers and programs transition to routinely vaccinating all children and adolescents. Recommendations for these children have not changed. Children and adolescents at higher risk for influenza complication are those:

•aged 6 months–4 years;
•who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
•who are immunosuppressed (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus);
•who have any condition (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders) that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration;
•who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy who therefore might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection;
•who are residents of chronic-care facilities; and,
•who will be pregnant during the influenza season.

Note: Children aged <6 months should not receive influenza vaccination. Household and other close contacts (e.g., daycare providers) of children aged <6 months, including older children and adolescents, should be vaccinated.

Annual recommendations for adults have not changed. Annual vaccination against influenza is recommended for any adult who wants to reduce the risk for becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting it to others. Vaccination also is recommended for all adults in the following groups, because these persons are either at high risk for influenza complications, or are close contacts of persons at higher risk:

•persons aged >50 years;
•women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
•persons who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, hematological or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
•persons who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by human immunodeficiency virus);
•persons who have any condition (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other neuromuscular disorders) that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions or that can increase the risk for aspiration;
•residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities;
•health-care personnel;
•household contacts and caregivers of children aged <5 years and adults aged >50 years, with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children aged <6 months; and,
•household contacts and caregivers of persons with medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe complications from influenza.
Source: Center for Disease Control (Photo Credit: Healthcarewithoutharm/ Southeastasia) =0=

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Labels: CDC, DOH, epidemic, Flu, H1N1 virus, Influenza, Makati, pandemic, politics, Public Health, RITM, seasonal flu, Swine flu, Totie Mesia, treatment, vaccination

UP Ibalon Bicol

Prayers pour in for ailing Pres. Cory Aquino

Cory Aquino very ill

Politics of Health: Give the flu vaccines to those who need them most

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