Government Launches Campaign Against Dengue; Abinader States DR Among Countries with Fewest Cases
The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, stated that the Dominican Republic is the third country with the lowest dengue statistics in the region, with 840 confirmed cases to date. The Greater Santo Domingo and the provinces of Santiago, La Vega, Moca, Puerto Plata, San Francisco, Nigua, and San Francisco are the places with the highest incidence. Abinader pointed out that only Puerto Rico with 757 cases and Costa Rica with 476 are below the country in terms of cases. The president mentioned during a press conference that these statistics have remained stable thanks to a strategic plan developed by the government to control dengue, involving institutions, municipalities, and citizens. He detailed that in terms of prevention and control, 981,933 containers have been eliminated; 497,791 tanks with larvae have been found; 453,888 containers with larvae have been treated; 280,098 houses have been inspected; 3,967 fumigations have been carried out, and 5,691 mosquito nets have been distributed throughout the country.
Additionally, the Head of State presented the advertising campaign titled “Honey to Dengue,” which aims to reduce mosquito incidence, mitigate outbreaks, and control vector propagation. The ad lasts approximately one minute and 30 seconds. “There is something in the air that bites more than the sun… it is present in the air and in the water we use, and if we are not careful, it can take control,” says a snippet from the ad.
Minister of Public Health, Víctor Atallah. (DIARIO LIBRE/ FELIX LEÓN)
Country Prepared for Outbreak
Meanwhile, the Minister of Public Health and Social Assistance, Víctor Adalah, indicated that the country is prepared for the possible arrival of a dengue outbreak. “We were expecting an outbreak in April and thanks to the government’s efforts, it has been delayed. The country is prepared for a possible outbreak. Beds and medical personnel have been increased, who are also being trained by the World Health Organization (WHO),” said Adalah. He mentioned that clinical algorithms have been distributed to all health centers in the country to establish a standard treatment. He emphasized that this is the “first time” the community is involved in this process. “We want the motto ‘we win against dengue’ to become a reality,” he said. He added that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned that this was the worst year for the health sector due to climate change and dengue incidence. “PAHO said that so far this year, 8.6 million cases have been reported, surpassing last year’s cases by 300%,” the minister emphasized.
In addition to dengue, the government’s plan for the 2024 hurricane season was also presented during the press conference.
Journalist graduated from UASD, with a master’s degree in Corporate Communication Management from Universidad Apec. Winner of the Young Journalism Contest at the International Book Fair 2015. She believes that writing frees the soul.