“I do not end my life as a coward, I do it because I need to feel the peace that I have not found in this world” were some of the words written by the young woman in a post that she titled “depression kills”. According to social media reports, her plans were thwarted by police officers, and she is now in custody.

Thousands of people commented on the young woman’s writing on social media. Hundreds of people echoed her words in an attempt to locate her and prevent her from taking her own life.

The message written by Cristy Mateo

I will be on my way out of this world when you read this. I am not leaving because I am a coward; I am leaving because I need to feel the peace that I have not found in this world. Depression has slowly taken over my life; I haven’t slept in weeks, cried every night, lost interest in things I enjoy, and my emotional state is a roller coaster.

I’ve asked for help on several occasions, but people dismiss depression as if it were a fad or an attempt to attract attention when for those of us who suffer from it, our lives pass us by while we are stuck in a rut, unable to do anything because our positive thinking is obstructed.

I thank those who were always nice to me and there for me, I thank the Lord who gave me a rose every time he saw me, my spirits rose to a thousand, and I thank the Lord for everything.

who was aware of my situation and was always attentive and encouraging when I needed it most. I don’t fit in here anymore.”

Clemente Terrero, the health center’s director, stated that as a result of the cholera outbreak that erupted in Haiti at the end of last year, the hospital “has handled several patients with cholera who have come from different parts of the country” and that they realized it was “prudent” to have an exclusive unit for the reception of symptomatic patients. “Our hospital has prepared to continue providing first-class care to children affected by illness, with the highest quality standards and humane treatment,” he said.

This health center received seven suspected cholera cases, four confirmed as positive and three negative. Five of these cases involved minors from La Zurza, San Carlos, and Ocoa. The patients were between one and four years old. Irma Coradin, the hospital’s in-charge of infectious diseases, explained that not all patients require intravenous hydration because some recover with oral hydration. “It is a disease that, if not treated promptly, ruins people’s lives due to the dehydration it causes,” she explained. Similarly, she stated that “no mortality has been recorded thus far, thank God.”

The hospital has not yet been added to the list of medical facilities where vulnerable patients can get the cholera vaccine. Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes severe acute watery diarrhea. Symptoms can appear between 12 hours and 5 days after consuming contaminated food or water. Cholera affects both children and adults and, if left untreated, can be fatal in a matter of hours.

Two “white elephants” that cannot be used by a population of 7,000 families and have become a source of contamination for the residents of Villa Liberación, where a cholera outbreak has been declared and at least five people have died. Ruins of what was to be the plant to treat sanitary waste from part of the sector can be found in the Colina del Oriente II neighborhood. Old decanters, where liquids must have been stored, are now empty spaces where liana branches climb on all sides, transforming the space into a green leaf platform.

For years, the pipe that should have been discharged in the location was covered, and what was done was to channel pipes through the facilities, and fecal matter, urine, and other liquids were discharged directly into the Ozama River without any type of treatment. According to Leonardo López, president of the Colina Oriental Association of Neighborhood Councils, the plant began construction during the administration of former President Hipólito Mejia but was never completed. The plant only worked halfway for about three years, and since then, some engineers have received a while of quantifications to finish it. Still, the work did not progress until the project was abandoned entirely, he said, adding that even the soldiers who were in charge of the work were withdrawn.

Only the lagoon’s masonry works and the building where the caretakers lived remain. Doors, ironwork, furniture, grilles, and the entire waste treatment system that had been installed up until that point were all stolen. “The pipe is clogged every 20 meters, and cholera does not affect Villa Liberación, El Tamarindo, El Almirante, Sabana Pedida, Los Mina, or even the Caribbean Sea,” says the community leader.

The event was presided over by First Lady Raquel Arbaje, in her capacity as President of the Cabinet; Vice President Raquel Peña; the Ministers of Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera and Luis Miguel De Camps; the Director of the SNS, Dr. Mario Lama; and the Executive Director of Senasa, Dr. Santiago Hazim. The cochlear implant program for children with hearing impairments aims to reduce school dropout by facilitating language development at a young age. In its first stage, this project will respond to cases of hearing loss in boys and girls from low-income families that the first lady has received over the last two years, with the help of Senasa.

“From the moment I began to develop the idea, I found the support of many willing to join the cochlear implant program for the benefit, above all, of the boys and girls with the greatest social and economic disadvantages, who need us the most. That is why, with the help of many, they have a preferential place in all of our efforts to improve their quality of life,” Arbaje said. Meanwhile, the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña, emphasized that the goal is for every kid born to have access to these services and care so that it never has to be because they meet an official who you will be attended to; that is the goal: to leave it institutionalized in the country.

Dr. Eddy Pérez-Then, the special adviser to Mispas, presented the initiative, explaining that the first two operations were performed in December on patients with profound severe hearing loss, whose experiences allow us to confirm that the program and its objectives are goals that are achievable, real, and have a significant impact in the Dominican health sector.

The Minister of the Presidency, Joel Santos, welcomed the Japanese government’s initiative in a press release, saying that it strengthens bilateral relations and friendship between the two countries by promoting technical cooperation through the supply of equipment, machinery, and materials.

“We thank you, His Excellency Mr. Takagi Masahiro, for this act of generosity and solidarity with the Dominican people, because the patients of these hospitals will now have the best care and services,” he said. He stated that the delivery of these three tomographs will provide the necessary modernization for the aforementioned hospital centers to develop a more accurate and early diagnosis.

“Our goal with these actions is to be able to provide health care that focuses on the timely detection of diseases and thus can provide timely treatment, and this can only be developed through the improvement and training of new equipment,” the official said. He assured that the healthcare system is evolving to improve quality, accessibility, and efficiency.

This processor was closed because it lacked the corresponding health records issued by that vice-ministry.

Furthermore, pseudomonas, a type of bacteria that frequently causes severe infections in humans, was detected in the processed water tests, as well as unsanitary conditions and a lack of heating.

Concerning the cholera disease, the Ministry of Public Health advises the public not to be alarmed, to pay attention to official reports, and to practice preventative measures such as frequent hand washing and food washing.

The remaining four cases are imported and pertain to Haitian nationals, two men aged 47 and 31, a woman aged 72, and a 9-year-old girl.

There are 31 confirmed positive cases of the disease in the country, in addition to these six. The patients were admitted between January 18 and 20, according to a press release, after presenting with whitish watery diarrhea and vomiting. “When they were treated at the health center, they were hydrated and stabilized before proceeding immediately to take stool samples, which turned out to be positive for cholera this Sunday,” according to the Ministry of Health.

He adds that the medical report confirms that the patients have been without bowel movements for more than 24 hours, that they are stable and in good spirits, and that they will be discharged in the next few hours.

During the meeting, the president of the Health Cabinet also evaluated the implementation of the “Malaria Elimination Strategy” carried out by the technical team of epidemiologists of the San Juan Provincial Health Directorate and presented by Dr. Rosa Alvino, focused on projecting and reinforcing strategies that can reduce the indicators of the disease.

“Today we are here to kick off a strategic program carried out by epidemiological team, since this province has the highest number of cases registered in the country; no one has died from the disease, but we have to focus on reducing cases,” the official said.

He suggested visiting the transmission centers two or three times a week to keep control of the situation and continue with the prevention strategies in the area, “it is very important to work on the operational part, taking into account the specific points of transmission, we have to go to the field where the active focus is,” he recommended.

Before the meeting, Dr. Rivera visited the facilities of the company Maguana Tropical, where he spoke with its production manager, Edwin Ordas, about the safety and hygiene measures that are being carried out to prevent malaria, cholera, and other diseases.

He also held a meeting with the director of the Centro Universitario Regional Oeste Curo- UASD, Carlos Manuel Sánchez, with whom he discussed health issues and analyzed the support to students of different careers in the prevention of viral diseases and other types of operations carried out by the Provincial Health Office.

He also went to the call of the bishop, Monsignor Tomas Concepción of the church Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana, along with the priest Pedro Pablo Mateo, to agree to expedite the process of requesting medicines; so that they arrive on time when requested by the episcopate.

“Those processes can be expedited through Habilitation and Accreditation; it is neither difficult nor impossible; besides, for us, the church should always be given priority,” concluded Dr. Rivera.

Santo Domingo
This Friday, another person died in the Villa Liberación sector, in El Almirante, Santo Domingo East, presumably from cholera, but laboratory tests will be needed to confirm this.

This death occurs amid the concern generated in this sector by the spread of cholera, which according to community members, has left at least five dead.

At least six cases have been confirmed, and others are awaiting test results.

The Public Health authorities intervened in the sector to stop the disease, installing a mobile hospital in the Center for Diagnosis and Primary Attention of the Villa Liberation sector to treat suspected cases.

Among the actions they carry out is searching for suspected cases to provide immediate Attention. In addition, they have asked those with diarrheal symptoms not to waste time and seek assistance.

Since the first case of cholera was registered in the country, following the increase in cases in Haiti, the authorities have set up a cordon in La Zurza, Capotillo, and other sectors near the banks of the Isabela River, where the presence of the bacteria that causes cholera has been confirmed.

The Ministry of Public Health and the Santo Domingo Water and Sewage Corporation (Caasd), among other government institutions, are involved in the actions.

The subject was brought up by Dr. César José Herrera, director of the Cardiovascular Center of Diagnostic, Advanced Medicine, and Telemedicine Centers (CEDIMAT). Herrera was accompanied by executives from the University of Bologna, Italy, with whom a collaboration agreement in the field of education was recently signed.

Herrera explained that young people with athletic bodies and even well-trained quads come to the services, but they have a history of using steroids and are suffering from the aortic disease. In that order, he and the European university’s directors both emphasize the importance of conducting research and gathering data to aid decision-making. The Dominican Republic ranks fourth in the Caribbean region in terms of cardiovascular mortality, trailing only Haiti, Guyana, and Suriname, indicating a public health issue.

As a result, the Centers for Diagnosis and Advanced Medicine and Medical Conferences and Telemedicine (CEDIMAT) received a visit from directors of the University of Bologna, Italy, as part of their efforts to promote cardiovascular health, and an important agreement was recently signed to develop joint projects in everything related to cardiovascular surgery.