Santo Domingo.- The General Directorate of Medicines, Food, and Health Products (DIGEMAPS) has announced the withdrawal of the Vitafer-L dietary supplement from the market after discovering the presence of tadalafil, an undeclared substance posing health risks to consumers.

The issue was identified following a field investigation and analysis of product samples at DIGEMAPS’ Human Consumption Product Evaluation Laboratory (LEPCH). It was confirmed that Vitafer-L contained tadalafil, a medication typically used to treat erectile dysfunction. This substance belongs to the class of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, which can lead to serious health complications when consumed by individuals with certain medical conditions.

As a preventive measure, DIGEMAPS conducted operations across the country on Wednesday, seizing several units of the product.

Manufactured by Natural Medy SAS in Colombia and distributed in the Dominican Republic by Alcavida SRI, Vitafer-L is sold in various doses (10 ml, 20 ml, and 500 ml). The product’s label fails to warn consumers about the presence of tadalafil, which poses serious risks, particularly for individuals with conditions such as heart disease, low blood pressure, stroke history, and liver failure.

DIGEMAPS has urged the public to avoid using Vitafer-L and report its availability in stores. The agency remains committed to ensuring product safety and will continue intensifying operations to remove unsafe products from the market.

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The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a new project to strengthen health resilience in Guyana, the Washington, DC-headquartered financial institution said Wednesday night. The US$ 22-million Guyana One Health Project will focus on empowering the country to prevent, prepare for, and respond to health emergencies. The project will adopt a One Health approach, which ...

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President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced a five-year extension of the National Healthcare Initiative to transform Guyana’s public health system with world-class healthcare services accessible to every Guyanese citizen. This next phase of the initiative, launched in 2022 by the Government of Guyana in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Health System and Hess Corporation, will ...

As spring breakers this season continue to head south into warmer territory, mosquitoes are posing a health risk that calls for extra attention.

Global cases of dengue fever are on the rise, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — and it's warning of an uptick in U.S. travelers.

The agency released a Health Alert Network advisory on March 18 noting that dengue activity and transmission "remain high" in some parts of the U.S. and globally, including the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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"Spring and summer travel coincide with the peak season for dengue in many countries, increasing the risk of both travel-associated and locally acquired cases in the United States," the CDC wrote.

The CDC has marked dengue fever as a level 1 health alert, urging the public to "practice usual precautions."

This includes avoiding mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, and sleeping in a room that has air conditioning or screened windows.

Many countries have reported a "higher-than-usual" number of dengue cases in 2024 and 2025, the CDC noted.

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The following countries have also reported higher-than-expected numbers of dengue cases among American travelers returning to U.S. soil: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Saint Lucia and Sudan.

Dengue fever is a virus spread through bites from an infected mosquito. 

It is common in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Islands, among other countries, according to the CDC.

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In 2024, more than 13 million cases were reported in North, Central and South America, as well as in the Caribbean.

Local transmission of these outbreaks was reported in California, Texas and Florida last year.

Typical symptoms include aches and pains (in the eyes, muscles, joints, or bones), nausea, vomiting and rash — usually experienced within two weeks of being bitten.

Most people experience symptoms for two to seven days before recovering.

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"It’s typically a more mild illness, but can be severe, causing headaches, joint pain, fever, abdominal pain and even death," Dr. Mark Fischer, regional medical director of International SOS, a leading medical and security services company, previously told Fox News Digital. 

There is not currently any medication to treat dengue, according to the CDC. 

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Infected people are advised to rest, take acetaminophen for pain and fever, stay hydrated and see a doctor.

There is a vaccine available for U.S. children between 9 and 16 years of age who have previously tested positive for dengue and are living in areas where the infection is common.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.

Santo Domingo.- The National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) and the Specialized Body for the Control of Fuels and Merchandise Trade (CECCOM) will launch a special operation during Easter 2025 to prevent the sale of alcoholic products under irregular conditions, aiming to reduce health risks to consumers.

Pro Consumidor Director Eddy Alcántara and CECCOM Director General Brigadier General César Miranda Mañón announced the nationwide initiative, which will be supported by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM) and the Ministry of Defense (MIDE). The operation will involve visits to businesses across the country to raise awareness and prevent the sale of adulterated alcoholic beverages during the Holy Week holiday.

The heads of both agencies emphasized the success of previous operations in reducing poisoning incidents from counterfeit alcohol and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting public health, supporting legal commerce, and combating tax evasion.

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Santo Domingo—During epidemiological week 10, the Ministry of Public Health and the General Directorate of Epidemiology (Digepi) reported three new confirmed malaria cases, bringing the total accumulated since the beginning of this year, 2025, to 82.

22.8% of the reported cases correspond to citizens of Haitian nationality, so health authorities announced that they had renewed the focus on the active search for cases, especially in migrant communities and settlements of agricultural workers on farms.

“The intensification of community-based febrile case detection strategies is one of the key actions within the strategic efforts to achieve the goal of malaria elimination in the country,” the document highlights.

Of the 82 confirmed tests, 64 were in San Juan, 16 in Azua, and two in Santo Domingo.

As for the patients with probable symptoms, the authorities indicate that, after the report of 298 incidents, the total number of suspected cases increased to 4,587.

The bite of the Anopheles mosquito transmits malaria.

Dengue
Between March 2 and 8, 27 suspected cases of dengue were reported in the country, but no new confirmed cases were reported.

The cumulative number up to week 10 is 404 suspected cases and 31 confirmed cases.

Compared to the same period in 2024, there was a 93% decrease in suspected cases and a 95.24% decrease in confirmed cases, reflecting a significant reduction in the incidence of the disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Leptospirosis
Public Health and Digepi reported four suspected cases of leptospirosis, with no new laboratory confirmations.

The accumulated number of suspected cases is 103, and 16 have been confirmed cases. Of the cases, 33.98% are of Haitian nationality, and 66.02% are Dominican.

The Ministry of Health says it continues to reinforce key disease control strategies, such as rodent control and sanitation measures.

These include improving access to safe drinking water, reducing exposure to stagnant water, and promoting good hygiene practices. Animal vaccination campaigns are also being carried out, especially in areas where livestock can be a reservoir for Leptospira bacteria.

Cholera and diphtheria
Up to epidemiological week 10, no suspected cholera cases have been reported in the country, representing a 100% reduction compared to the same period last year, when 106 records were documented.

Regarding diphtheria, Public Health reported one probable case corresponding to a child between five and nine years of age who lived in the municipality of San Ignacio de Sabaneta.

So far this year, the accumulated number of cases is four.

Respiratory Viruses

Respiratory viruses continue to circulate in the country. (EXTERNAL SOURCE)
In Epidemiological Week 10, the circulation of influenza A (H1N1) pdm 09, influenza B Victoria, and parainfluenza viruses was detected. Throughout the year, authorities have observed the presence of a respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus 1, 2, and 3, influenza A (H3N2), adenovirus, and Sars-CoV-2.

Public Health emphasizes the importance of preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, using masks with flu-like symptoms, avoiding self-medication, maintaining ventilated spaces, and going to the health center in case of fever or discomfort.

Maternal and infant deaths
In this new bulletin, two maternal deaths were reported, corresponding to women between 20 and 29 years of age, both of Dominican origin.

The accumulated figure up to week 10 is 33 deaths, which represents a decrease of 19 % to 2024 when 41 were reported.

With 22 new deaths, the total number of infant deaths rises to 337.

Of neonatal deaths, authorities reported 20 deaths, a total of 302 since the beginning of 2025.