President Irfaan Ali on Thursday pledged to afford the United States (US) special treatment in exchange for Washington’s support for its defence and other areas. Speaking at a news conference he shared with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio at State House, Main Street, Georgetown, Dr Ali said they discussed the impact that the imposition ...

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.

DENGUE FEVER: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS SWEEPING JAMAICA

"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.

TIGER MOSQUITOES BLAMED FOR SPREAD OF DENGUE FEVER: ‘MOST INVASIVE SPECIES’

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.

TRAVEL HOT SPOT SEEKS EMERGENCY DECLARATION OVER MASSIVE BUG INFESTATION

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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