A former health secretary turned lawmaker advised women not to wear underwear at home during the hot season because the female genitalia is prone to fungal infection because of the heat.
“Syempre dahil pag tag-init ang mga babae ay prone din sa fungal infection. So hindi iyan sexually transmitted disease. Iyan ay dala na yung normal flora sa intimate areas, sa pubic area, sa perineal area ng babae, kapag medyo basa napapawisan at mainit yung panahon, iyan ay perfect petri dish para dumami yung ating fungi. Iyung candida albicans na nasa balat ay dadami siya kaya siya nagiging makati. So, the more you scratch the more it will itch,” Doctor and House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin told reporters.
(Women are prone to fungal infection due to the heat. It is not a sexually transmitted disease, but because of the normal flora in the genitalia of women, once you sweat because of the heat, it becomes a perfect petri dish for fungi to grow. Don’t scratch it. The candida albicans on the skin will grow, that’s why it’s itchy.)
“Huwag siyang kamutin at hindi iyan nakakahawa ano. Kasi iyung iba akala nila sexually transmitted. No, it’s not. Ang importante dun, may gamot naman yan. But you have to keep that area dry. So, kaya nga minsan lalo na nasa tag-init, wala lang malisya ano, pero kung nasa bahay ka lang naman or matutulog, it’s quite advisable na walang underwear pero naka pajama ka naman or naka shorts. Iyung ventilation na ‘yan ay ano iyan epektibo para mapigilan or hindi na lumala ‘yung fungal infection.”
(Don’t scratch it because i’s not infectious. Some people think it’s sexually transmitted but it’s not. What’s important is there’s medicine for that. But you have to keep that area dry. That’s why sometimes, especially during the hot season, without any malice intended, it’s quite advisable not to wear underwear at home but just wear pajamas or shorts. The ventilation is effective against fungal infection.)
Garin, a former health secretary from 2015-2016, also urged the public to always drink water to prevent heat stroke.
“Keep ourselves hydrated, that’s very important,” she said, adding that people should stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The lawmaker urged government to do catch up on its vaccination drives amid an outbreak in pertussis cases in the Philippines. She added, however, she is unsure if government has enough vaccines in stock.
“It all boils down to a poor planning of the previous heads probably of the Department of Health,” she said.
As Health chief, Garin led the controversial dengvaxia vaccine campaign which has been cited by some groups as having caused a vaccine scare in the Philippines.
This, after drugmaker Sanofi Pasteur advised that the vaccine could increase the risk of severe dengue fever in some patients.
This story was first published on ABS-CBN News
