Apayao health workers sharpen outbreak detection, response skills

Medical technologists from Apayao’s municipalities underwent a two-day refresher course on disease surveillance and outbreak investigation on September 1–2 at Leonarda’s Homestay in Tumog, Luna.

Conducted by the Provincial Health Office (PHO), the training covered the Electronic Disease Case Surveillance and Information System (EDCS-IS), disease acceptable criteria, and procedures used when investigating suspected outbreaks.

Rather than limiting the sessions to lectures, participants worked through simulated disease outbreak scenarios. They practiced identifying and classifying cases, tracing possible patterns, and determining the information needed before health authorities decide on the appropriate response.

The course also reviewed steps in outbreak investigation, including preparation for field work, confirmation of diagnosis, determining whether an outbreak exists, developing a case definition, systematic case finding, and descriptive epidemiology.

Resource persons were Victoria Malicdan, Nurse V and Certified Applied Epidemiologist from the DOH-CAR Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, and Ivy Mae S. Calumpit, Medical Technologist II and Certified Applied Epidemiologist from the Santa Marcela Rural Health Unit.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Mark Joleen Calban reminded health personnel of what he called the “3 A’s” of public health response: Alert, Act, and Alliance. He compared disease surveillance personnel to firefighters who must recognize a threat early and be ready to respond before the situation worsens.

Calban also cited the establishment of epidemiologist plantilla positions in Kabugao and Calanasan, providing the two municipalities with dedicated personnel for epidemiological surveillance and related work.

The training prepares municipal health personnel to detect unusual disease patterns earlier and investigate suspected outbreaks before cases spread further.