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BAGUIO CITY  – Engineer Nathaniel Vincent Lubrica on Friday said a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based analysis of dengue cases in Baguio City will be utilized from October 2016 to October 2017 to identify areas of infectious and potential risk of new diseases.

The analysis will also find out the geographic, environmental, and human causes for such impact and to be able to forecast new, emerging diseases and establish special treatment centers.

Lubrica, the project leader of the University of the Cordilleras – Geographic Information System (UC-GIS), said South-East Asia, Central and South America and other several regions emerged a serious health problem, causing severe flu-like illness and cause a potential and lethal complication transmitted by bites and for over 200 years, America recognized dengue fever as the most important mosquito-borne viral disease globally.

Maps on disease spread and risk maps are good basis of policies and are highly suitable for analyzing epidemiological data, revealing trends, and interrelationships that will be difficult to discover in tabular format.

The GIS allows policy makers to visualize problems existing in health and social service, and the natural environment.

The significance of the study is one of the best applications of GIS in disease surveillance and epidemiology and can be seen in the Public Health Agency (PHA) in Canada.

The PHA had a real time surveillance system using mobile and web technology, thus, making response more efficient.The systems started with a strong background in GIS, Lubrica said.

Baguio City can be the first to adopt a GIS-based dengue surveillance and epidemiology in the Philippines.

This proposed research project crucially laid the foundation of a real time surveillance system of dengue, Lubrica added.

The main objective of the study was to establish the utilization of GIS to facilitate data management, mapping, surveillance, and epidemiology Lubrica said.

The scope of the study will cover Baguio City residents who were tested positive with dengue for the last five years.

The study is cross sectional because the analysis of trend or pattern requires a historical set of data.

The patients will be mapped by matching their addresses vis-a-vis Department of Health – Cordillera Regional Office (DOH-CAR) records.

Those who have incomplete addresses will not be included in the study.

The study will use GIS functions for spatial analysis, statistics, and correlation.

Spatial correlation vis-a-vis environmental correlates will be performed using the overall dengue cases in Baguio City.

Maps of water bodies, land use or vegetation, slope, and rainfall are identified environmental correlates for dengue as derived from literatures.

A more profound analysis will be performed through time series analysis using GIS.

Lubrica said, the GIS would soon be turned over to the government for the use of the DOH.

Cordillera Regional Health Research and Development Consortium (CRHRDC) chairman, Dr Raymundo Rovillos said, GIS was one of the two projects of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (PCHRD-DOST) in the Cordillera Region.

This GIS-based Analysis of Dengue Cases project in Baguio City is in partnership with the DOH-CAR, the Baguio Health Department (BHD), Baguio General Hospital Medical Center (BGHMC), PCHRD-DOST (the funding source) and the CRHRDC.

Source: http://northboundasia.com/2016/10/02/gis-based-analysis-dengue-cases-baguio-city-launched/#.WBqkQS197Df

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The latest batch of MS Molecular Medicine scholars signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) during their course orientation on 27 September 2016 at St. Lukes College of Medicine.

The batch includes Maria Patricia Dio from University of Santo Tomas(UST), Adrian Fernandico from University of the Philippines Los Baos(UPLB), Lorenzo Gabriel Limbaga from Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Mark Joseph Sison from Manila Central University (MCU), and Patricia Lyanne Teruel from Miriam College.

The MS Molecular Medicine Program, a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through PCHRD, and St. Lukes College of Medicine (SLCM), is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a research path in translational medicine.

During his inspirational speech, PCHRD Executive Director Jaime Montoya advised the scholars to remember that the scholarship is not for their advantage alone, but for their countrymen as well.

There are two things that I want you [scholars] to do. First, keep on learning. Be prepared to hone your expertise, enhance your skills, and reinvent yourself every time. Second, learn from your experiences. Do not be afraid to fail for these are the things you would learn most, Dr. Montoya emphasized.

The program gives students a firm foundation in the biomedical sciences and relevant emerging technologies to develop a highly trained manpower base for Molecular Medicine such as clinicians, medical laboratory technicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals.

Keep your [scholars] options open and remember that the PCHRD scholarship is not only a privilege, but also a duty and responsibility, Dr. Isaac David Ampil, SLMC Research and Biotechnology Group Vice President & Dean, added.

The MS Molecular Medicine is one of the scholarships provided by the Council. Recently, PCHRD also signed agreements with scholars of MD-PhD Molecular Medicine Program.

Source: http://www.4-traders.com/MOLECULAR-MEDICINE-SPA-2178402/news/Molecular-Medicine-PCHRD-orients-signs-MOA-with-latest-batch-of-MS-Molecular-Medicine-scholars-23135503/

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SAN FABIAN, Pangasinan, September 16 (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in partnership with the local government of San Fabian, is holding a Science and Technology (S&T) Caravan here from September 14 to 16 to bring science and technology to the countryside.

Dr. Armando Ganal, regional director of DOST in the Ilocos, said the three-day event in Pangasinan is a pilot project conducted by the agency in the entire region to make the people feel that science and technology is for all.

“During the S&T Caravan, we will cater all sectors in the municipality so, they could use the knowledge on science and technology to improve their lives,” Ganal said during a press conference in this town on Wednesday.

He said that among the novel programs featured during the caravan are the STARBOOKS (Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated Kiosk Station) and the RxBox which would benefit the academe and the health sectors, respectively.

STARBOOKS, he said, is a stand-alone information kiosk that contains thousands of digitized science and technology resources in various formats (text and video/audio) which can be accessed even without internet connection.

On the other hand, Ganal said “the RxBox program is a biomedical telemedicine device designed to provide better access to life-saving health care services in isolated and disadvantaged communities nationwide.”

The device can capture medical signals with its built-in sensors (i.e blood pressure monitor, pulse oxymeter, electrocardiogram, fetal heart monitor, maternal tocometer and temperature sensor) and saves the data in an electronic medical record called CHITS or Community Health Information Tracking System, he said.

Meanwhile, the DOST also offers free calibration services at the public market of San Fabian that will enable fair commerce and promote consumer welfare through right measurement of services and products offered.

Aside from these, Ganal said the DOST also conducts technology fora, livelihood trainings and seminars, information campaign, poster making contest, S&T exhibits, training on meal management and food handling, invent school program, among others during the caravan.

Executive Order No. 128 mandates the Department to “provide central direction, leadership and coordination of scientific and technological efforts and ensure that the results therefrom are geared and utilized in areas of maximum economic and social benefits for the people.” (JNPD/AMM/PIA-1, Pangasinan)