Manila: The Department of Health (DOH) is stepping up community surveillance and outreach to protect people at high risk of leptospirosis as cases surge in flood-affected areas, Health Secretary Edwin Mercado said Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Mercado stated that the campaign is focusing on individuals whose livelihoods necessitate wading through floodwaters, such as daily-wage earners and transport workers. These groups are considered highly vulnerable due to their frequent exposure to potentially contaminated waters.

DOH personnel and barangay health workers are actively conducting house-to-house visits to identify high-risk individuals, including delivery workers, cleanup crews, and frontline personnel. They are providing prophylactic doxycycline to those exposed to floodwaters, with the distribution based on the frequency and circumstances of exposure.

Mercado highlighted that residents can also access prescriptions through Yaman ng Kalusugan (YAKAP) clinics, part of the Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) program. The DOH is collaborating with local government units to pinpoint high-risk communities and enhance the monitoring of medicine supplies through computerized inventory and supply-chain systems.

As hospitals in affected areas near capacity, the department is utilizing a leptospirosis tracker, updated twice daily, to monitor bed availability and facilitate patient transfers. Stable patients with improving kidney function may be moved to lower-level facilities via the inter-referral network, thereby freeing up space in major hospitals for critical cases, Mercado explained.

Major hospitals will prioritize patients requiring intensive treatment, including hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, ensuring that resources are allocated to those in most need, Mercado added.