DETECT, ISOLATE, TREAT, REINTEGRATE (DITR) STRATEGY – LA UNION’S COUNTER COVID-19 RESPONSE
By: Justin Paul D. Marbella, PIO | Photo By: PIO
The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU), through the leadership of Gov Pacoy, is committed to building a resilient La Union and counter the spread of CoViD-19.
Through the Contract Tracing Team (CTT), Diagnostics and Testing Team (DTT), Patient Management and Monitoring Team (PMMT), and the Health Care Provider Network (HCPN), the province carries out the Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (DITR) Strategy to ensure that suspect, probable and confirmed CoViD-19 cases are properly monitored and managed.
Detect
In the past few days, the province has recorded a spike in the number of confirmed cases. This is due to the strengthened contact tracing and testing initiatives in La Union by the PGLU and its component LGUs. The Contact Tracing Teams (CTT) are immediately activated when a new case is reported. Consequently, the Provincial DTT provides assistance to the LGUs to ensure the prompt and effective conduct of swabbing to suspects and contacts. Swab booths have also been installed in all five District Hospitals as well as the La Union Medical Center.
Isolate and Treat
Upon detection, the confirmed CoViD-19 patients with no or mild symptoms are isolated and transferred to the District Hospitals for monitoring and treatment while severe or critical cases are admitted at the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC). Moreover, close contacts and suspect cases are isolated either through home quarantine or the LIGTAS (Local Isolation and General Treatment Areas) CoViD Centers. To date, we have a total bed capacity of 403 situated in all the component LGUs and including the Provincial CoViD Center or the Home of Hope.
In order to efficiently manage and prevent the exhaustion of the facilities, through the strengthened HCPN, the Province now has its system of referral and download of patients between or among facilities fully operational.
Reintegrate
The reintegration of the patients to the community remains of utmost importance. Patients are ensured to have fully recovered to prevent the potential spread of the virus and causing fear and discrimination. In support to this, the Province enacted Sangguniang Panlalawigan Ordinance No. 216-2020 prohibiting any form of discrimination to recovered patients, among others.
The DITR strategy can only be more effective in preventing the spread of the virus if the community cooperates and participates in disease surveillance and detection.
Be one with us in building a Stronger La Union! The pandemic is far from over but so should our persistence and dedication to move forward and rise above the situation.
