Surigao del Sur to be declared as Filaria-Free province

By Nida Grace P. Barcena

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Sept. 10 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) will award next week the “Filaria-Free” province recognition to Surigao del Sur.

DOH-Provincial Health Team Leader Dr. Helen Cano said the awarding will be on Thursday, September 19 at Shacene Pension House this city and expected to be witnessed by top officials of the province, representatives from World Health Organization and health officials from central office of DOH.

Accordingly, the province was declared Filaria-Free by the DOH through a memorandum signed by Assistant Secretary Enrique Tayag early this year.

Filariasis is a parasitic infection and the second leading cause of permanent and long-term disability. It was first to discovered in the Philippines in 1907 by foreign workers. (NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)