CMO Dr Shawn Charles said that Grenada is currently monitoring the situation

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S.M.L., who supports himself by selling bottles of water and soft drinks in the vicinity of Parque Enriquillo, assured that since last Friday the 17th he has suffered constant diarrhea, although he has not undergone laboratory tests to identify its origin. His neighbors, a family of three made up of a grandfather, his daughter, and his adolescent grandson were on their way to the Félix María Goico Hospital at the time for the same reason: acute diarrhea for several days.

In Villa Francisca, they receive two types of water in the pipeline, one fresh and the other brackish. “Today fresh water came to the tap,” said the lady. Upon noticing the presence of reporters in the area, Ana, another community member, commented that some people do not have bathrooms in their homes, and they throw fecal matter and garbage out into the open, contaminating the environment. The fetid smell corroborated the affirmations of the young mother, who asserted that she could not open the windows to ventilate her home.

A few meters away was Cirilo, a vendor of yaniqueques and boiled eggs, who assured that he had adopted very hygienic-sanitary measures, although “sales are not very good.” “Very clean hands,” he said as he showed them as a sign that they were clean. “Look at the showcase, not a fly gets in there,” he added.

Doctors from the United States (US) Southern Command on Monday began performing surgeries, providing dental services and conducting professional knowledge exchanges at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the West Demerara Regional Hospital, the American embassy here said. The doctors are drawn from the US’ Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) and are part ...

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Rivera indicated that only through the Directorate of Access to High-Cost Medications, some RD$9 billion have been made available annually to benefit around 15,000 patients with chronic diseases, which in two years adds up to more than 18 billion in that area. While an amount of RD $5,126,266,797 have been invested in infrastructure (construction, reconstruction, and equipment of 179 health centers).

Likewise, he highlighted the investment of more than RD$3 billion in the budget increase of the Essential Medicines and Central Logistics Support program (Promese/Cal), which went from RD$1,568 million in 2022 to RD$3 billion in 2023.

Deep leaks in the walls, areas infested with humidity, and meeting rooms without tables or chairs. Bathrooms with pipes about to collapse, among other problems that the building presents.

It is thought that a building of more than 50 years of construction drags the absence of maintenance as governments usually do. If that is true, so is the lack of funds that would be affecting the Directorate of Medical Emergencies, where, despite the fact that retired General Juan Manuel Méndez was appointed in June 2022, the administration does not start because the funds destined for the management are not arriving, nor has the general’s work team been approved: administration, human resources the spinal cord of the control and the employees who were appointed to it have still not been paid in seven months.

The teams of doctors and paramedics that provide emergency medical care services, which are reported through 9-1-1, are even worse off.

“People think that whenever they get cholera, they will get diarrhea, no. There are 25% who do not feel anything, who can walk without any problem. There is a 25 % that does not feel anything, that can walk without any problem. This is a disease that can be largely asymptomatic,” said the Health Minister.

Rivera assured that there is reasonable disease control in the border area and recalled that the bulk of active cases in Haiti is in Port-au-Prince.

“The control is day by day. If there is a good vaccination there (in Haiti), we believe it will help us in this care,” said the minister.

The head of the Health Cabinet assured that out of 1.2 million cholera vaccines sent to Haiti, 800 thousand people have already been immunized.

“It will help us less. The more of their population is vaccinated, the less risk for us,” he said.

Market visit

The minister made a tour of the Santo Domingo East Municipal Market, located in the El Almirante sector, to verify the sanitary conditions and the handling of the products offered there and to ensure the maintenance of hygiene measures and good food handling to prevent cholera.

The official indicated that most of the food consumed in this area, which is currently the focus of attention for cholera, is dispatched from this market.

La Zurza declares itself free of cholera after a month without infected persons.
“With the cases of cholera that have been registered we have called attention to the care and handling of food and mainly the consumption of safe drinking water, where there is drinking water and good hygiene with vegetables and other products, there will be no contamination by cholera,” said Dr. Rivera.

He said that as of today, there were only four cholera inpatients and that surveillance is being maintained in the hospitals and the tents set up for the detection and attention of suspected cases in the different sectors of the country.

At the end of the visit, he congratulated the workers and administrative personnel of the market for the favorable conditions in which it is located. At the same time, he asked not to neglect and maintain these levels to avoid the spread of the bacteria.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who convinced Guyana’s then People’s National Congress (PNC)-led administration to agree to major electoral reforms, has entered hospice care, instead of seeking more medical treatment. After a series of short hospital stays, the statement said, Carter “decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice ...

During the dissertation, the official highlighted that during the two years of administration (2020-2022), some RD 5,126,266,797.59 had been invested in infrastructure and equipment in 179 health centers, saving the State some 5 billion pesos.

He said that in the Directorate of Access to High-Cost Medicines, the government currently invests some 9,000 million pesos annually to benefit about 15,000 patients with chronic diseases.

He stated that the current authorities found the country in a state of emergency, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, without an efficient protocol, so they sought a rapid and strategic response to implement, given the challenges and needs faced by the nation at that time.

In that sense, he explained the strategies implemented that resulted in the current development of the health sector.

“The health system did not have an emergency plan, and the regulatory and training framework was made more efficient to respond to any pandemic; the first level of care is being renovated, we increased the diagnostic capacity, implementation of mobile hospitals, relations with international organizations and public-private partnership and high training in human resources in health. Through all these initiatives developed by order of our President Luis Abinader, we have achieved what we are today in terms of health,” indicated Dr. Rivera.

In this context, Dr. Rivera said that the government responded quickly to any epidemiological situation that could arise after the passage of natural phenomena, such as the passage through the country of storm Fiona, as well as with preventive actions for smallpox, cholera, and other viruses.

He also detailed the investments made in remodeling, emergencies, new constructions, first-level centers, and specialties such as hemodialysis, oncology units, and diabetic foot, among others.

During his presentation, the official pointed out that President Luis Abinader has a great strategic vision to continue strengthening the health system in the Dominican Republic, such as the healthy municipalities programs with the implementation of the “Change your Lifestyle” Health Routes and the creation of healthy cities in the provinces of San Francisco de Macorís, San Pedro and San Cristóbal.

“From our Ministry of Health we have impacted more than 100,000 people with the Health Route journey in 17 provinces, with some 35 services such as: evaluations, general consultation, pediatric, blood typing, diagnostics, treatments and prevention oriented to non-communicable diseases, psychosocial support, delivery of medicines, National Health Insurance (SeNaSa) affiliation among other services.”

The also president of the Health Cabinet highlighted the achievements made in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, with which the country guaranteed vaccination for all citizens and was the third country to apply the third dose. Likewise, the government decided to use the drugs Tocilizumab and REGEN-COV in severe patients and was one of the first in the world with the lowest lethality of the disease.

He also highlighted that the country was one of the five nations with the best vaccination rate, the sixth in Latin America in implementing immunization in children, and the third in the region in carrying out Genomic Sequencing, being recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO/PAHO), for the strategies implemented during the pandemic.

The Minister of Health highlighted the different social programs implemented in the area of health, in which he highlighted the budget increase made in the Essential Medicines Program and Central Logistical Support (PROMESE/CAL), which went from RD 1,568 million in 2022 to RD 3,176 million in 2023 for essential medicines, benefiting around 17,000 low-income patients.

He also mentioned the work carried out by entities such as the National Health Service (SNS), SeNaSa, Uniendo Voluntades, the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage (INAPA), the Ministry of Housing and Buildings, among others.

The Minister of Health held the conference at the UTESA University Convention Center at the invitation of the New Democrats External Sector movement, which officials attended, collaborators of the Ministry of Health, members of Congress, and special guests, among other personalities.

The news comes nearly a year after the announcement that Willis would be stepping away from acting due to a diagnosis of aphasia, a language disorder that impacts the ability to speak, read and write.

A study by researchers with New York City's Columbia University found that one in every 10 adults over 65 has some form of dementia. 

BRUCE WILLIS' DEMENTIA BATTLE: ICONIC STAR'S JOURNEY FROM ACTION HERO TO FAMILY MAN

While most people are familiar with Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common type, FTD is likely not as well-known.

FTD, as defined by Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, is "a group of disorders that occur when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost. This causes the lobes to shrink. FTD can affect behavior, personality, language and movement."

FTD typically affects men and women between 40 and 65 years of age.

While symptoms of FTD can vary depending on what part of the brain is affected, most people with the condition experience some common symptoms, as listed on the Johns Hopkins Medicine website. 

Behavior or personality changes are often the most obvious indicators. These may include public outbursts or socially inappropriate actions.

People with FTD also tend to have impaired judgment, a lack of empathy and lower self-awareness, Johns Hopkins states. 

Others may notice sufferers losing interest in activities they used to enjoy or withdrawing emotionally from friends and family members.

This type of dementia is also marked by a reduced ability to understand or formulate language.

People may struggle to remember the names of objects, string words into sentences or even recall the meanings of words they used to know. 

They may have trouble planning and organizing — and find that they are easily distracted.

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Eventually, the person with FTD may end up speaking less frequently out of frustration. The condition can also lead to agitation, irritability and drastic mood swings.

Dr. Tiffany Chow, vice president of clinical development and neurology at Alector, Inc. in San Francisco, California, has spent most of her career working with patients and families living with dementia and investigating clinical trials for these illnesses.

"Most people aren’t expecting dementia to start in their 50s," she told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"The earliest signs of FTD can be so subtle that they're often misinterpreted as a ‘midlife crisis,’ which then delays appropriate medical attention."

Dr Chow said that many family members have told her they remember their loved one acting in a way that was uncharacteristic. 

In one example, someone who had handled tax returns capably for the last 25 years was suddenly unable to organize receipts and other paperwork.

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There was also a seasoned camper who found herself unable to set up her tent without help.

"The tricky part is that the change doesn't occur overnight, from normal to consistently disabled," said Dr. Chow. 

"Isolated events are noticed maybe every few months, and it's hard to string those together into a major concern until the changes are seen on a daily basis," Dr. Chow also said.

If a clinician isn’t aware of FTD, there’s a risk it will be misdiagnosed as a midlife crisis or a psychiatric condition such as bipolar affective disorder. 

"One of the big challenges in our field is to get the word out to primary care physicians about this relatively rare cause of dementia," Dr. Chow said. 

The doctor said there are some new checklists and tools available to help patients pinpoint the changes they’re experiencing. Otherwise, there is no single universal screening test for FTD.

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"This is very different from Alzheimer's disease, where memory testing and cerebrospinal fluid tests can help in diagnosing the disease," said Dr. Chow. 

"For FTD, the assessment of changes in frontal lobe functions is more complex, requiring an objective history from someone who can help the clinician understand the person's ‘normal’ level of function and how social skills have changed."

Although there is no universal diagnostic test, there are genetic screenings that can flag someone as more likely to develop FTD. 

Dr. Chow said genetic testing is most helpful in diagnosing behavioral FTD and primary progressive aphasia (PPA), which affects patients’ ability to use language. 

For those cases, up to 40% of the patients share a common genetic mutation.

The first step is to meet with a genetics counselor who can explain the potential consequences of learning the results. 

"Sometimes even the people who should know don't want to know — and we all have to respect that," said Dr. Chow. 

Development efforts are ongoing, including clinical trials, but there is no current FDA-approved treatment for FTD, said Chow.

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"For now, to minimize the risk of FTD or any other dementia, people can adopt overall lifestyle improvements such as heart-healthy choices and avoiding head trauma, which also promotes brain health," the doctor said.

The condition typically progresses over time, Johns Hopkins states on its website. 

Patients can also seek treatments to alleviate symptoms, such as speech therapy or the use of antidepressants. 

Eventually, those with FTD may need full-time care.

Approximately 50,000-60,000 people may have FTD, per data from the Alzheimer’s Association, a nonprofit group based in Chicago.

In addition to Bruce Willis, other celebrities that have been diagnosed with dementia over the years have included Ronald Reagan, Rita Hayworth, Robin Williams, Casey Kasem and Charlton Heston.