BONTOC, Mountain Province - Local health authorities revealed Monday that pneumonia topped the list of leading causes of death in this province last year, raising concern for the pulmonary health of residents in its 10 towns. Based on records from the Bontoc General Hospital, the only State-run hospital in the province, 38 persons who were admitted in the hospital died of pneumonia last year.
The other killer diseases and illnesses contracted by people from the different parts of the province include diseases of the heart, cancer, hypertension, prematurity, neonatal sepsis, trauma, renal failure, intestinal obstruction and dengue fever. Ten persons died due to diseases of the heart, nine died of cancer, five of hypertension, four patients lost their lives due to prematurity, neonatal sepsis and trauma; three patients each died due to renal failure and intestinal obstruction and 2 succumbed to the dreaded dengue fever.
Hospital records further showed total admission made last year was 7,488 patients, including the 48 individuals who were confined in 2009 but were still confined last year. Out of the total admissions, 7,441 were discharged while the rest were still confined or have died after they were not able to survive the medical treatment. Gov. Leonard Mayaen said that with its improved facilities and with the presence of two surgeons, the Bontoc General Hospital was able to conduct major operations with at least 198 cases. Mayaen, chairman of the provincial health board, said more support must be extended to the hospital and the district hospitals as well as rural health units around the province so that they will be able to cater to the growing health concerns of people in their respective areas of jurisdiction prior to seeking complicated consultations in the province's general hospital. The ten causes of discharges in the hospital include pneumonia, gastroenteritis, hypertension, dengue fever, enteric fever, cystitis, pyelonephritis, gastritis, bronchitis and acute tonsillopharyngitis among others. Out of the total discharged patients, at least 2,556 were not members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and were confined under charity or pay ward while the other 4,845 patients enjoyed the benefits of being enrolled with the health insurance firm. Last year, the hospital's out patient department was able to attend to a total of 35,596 patients and the ten leading causes of consultations were upper respiratory infection, bronchitis, pneumonia, systematic viral infection, acute tonsillopharyngitis, urinary track infection, otitis media, hypertension, treatment of wounds and gastroenteritis.
