Santo Domingo.- The President of the Dominican Medical College (CMD), Senén Caba, has expressed deep concern about the dengue situation in the country, describing it as “out of control.” He criticized the government’s response to the issue and emphasized that the surge in dengue cases during this time of year due to rain was a predictable scenario. Caba also warned that leptospirosis and malaria could follow suit, as the CMD had previously indicated. As of August 28, there have been 5,145 registered cases of dengue, excluding the latest week’s data.

Caba suggested that instead of conducting fumigation campaigns in areas with high dengue incidence, the Ministry of Public Health should have immediately engaged various institutions with large groups, such as the Armed Forces, universities, National Police, and schools, to promote actions like clearing vacant lots, removing makeshift landfills, and disposing of waste. He criticized what he perceived as political motives and business interests overshadowing the genuine response to the health crisis.

He noted the increasing hospitalizations due to dengue cases and mentioned that specialists had informed him of the situation being out of control. He specifically cited the case of a private clinic in the eastern zone with more than 20 admissions in a week. Caba also lamented the focus on curative hospital care instead of prioritizing quality primary care and prevention.

Caba stressed that while dengue affects everyone, it disproportionately impacts the poor. He criticized the lack of emphasis on prevention, education, and promotion by the social security system, despite legal obligations. He highlighted that these diseases are preventable with modest investments and political determination.

Concluding his statement, Caba pointed out the need for responsible resource usage by minimizing unnecessary printing to protect the environment.

The 154-year-old Psychiatric Hospital, Berbice would be closed eventually, and provision made to accommodate mentally ill patients at a new New Amsterdam Hospital that would be constructed, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said.l “Over time, the current facilities that we have in New Amsterdam, we’ll be closing those facilities,” he told the opening of a ...

The presence of dengue serotype three is causing an increase in the number of disease cases in the country and a greater demand for medical care.

This serotype (DENV-3) has not circulated in the country for several years and, therefore, has found more susceptible people without contact with it.

This was revealed yesterday by the Vice-Minister of Collective Health, Dr. Eladio Perez, who recalled that in general in the country, the one that has circulated the most each year is serotype 2, which has always been present in recent years.

He explained that although the severity of this dengue serogroup is not more significant, there is a lot of vulnerable population that does not have the immunity it has against serogroup 2, which has always been the most present in the Dominican territory.

Dr. Perez was interviewed while participating in the opening ceremony of the third Annual Meeting of Epistemic Communities 2023 held in the country with the theme Emerging Technologies and Community Empowerment, organized by Two Oceans In Health (2OIH).

Santo Domingo and Santiago

He reported that the presence of dengue serotype three was identified in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago, among other locations in the country, but that, nevertheless, the endemic corridor has exceeded the number of cases expected to date. Still, it has not yet entered an unmanageable stage.

He informed that currently, the highest number of dengue cases is in Santo Domingo Norte, where interventions are being carried out by the Ministry of Public Health together with the Mayor’s Office and the National Health Service, with the removal of garbage, fumigation, and awareness and education.

He said that there is a greater affluence of patients coming to the health facilities’ consultation services but that the parameters of hospitalization remain within the expected.

In the region

“We have in the country a serogroup of dengue in the country the three, which had been found previously, but had already several years that was not present, in that sense there is a lot of vulnerable population,” said the deputy minister of collective health.

He pointed out that dengue is on the rise throughout the region, and data from the World Health Organization indicate that the Dominican Republic is the country with the best indicators.

In 2023, noted the Vice Minister of Public Health, the region of the Americas has experienced a significant increase in dengue cases. So far, more than 3 million new infections have been recorded, surpassing the figures for 2019, the year with the highest recorded incidence of this disease in the region with 3.1 million cases, including 28,203 severe cases and 1,823 deaths.

Four serotypes

The four dengue serotypes are DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4, which circulate in the different countries of the Americas, and there may be cases where all of them circulate simultaneously.

According to experts, infection with one serotype followed by another condition with a different serotype increases a person’s risk of severe dengue fever and even death.

Dengue is transmitted to people by the bite of the Aedes aegyptis mosquito that breeds in clean water, especially that which accumulates in or around homes. The recommendations for its control are to eliminate containers that become breeding places, cover water used for domestic use, and go to the doctor at the first symptoms of the disease, which begins with sudden fever, pain behind the eyes and head, and general malaise.

Scientific meeting

The meeting of Epistemic Communities held yesterday in the country brought together renowned researchers who discussed different topics related to artificial intelligence and the role of technology and science in the face of future pandemics.

The renowned researcher Dr. Jeffrey V Lazarus, PhD, MIH, MA. Director of the Health Systems Research Group at ISGlobal, University of Barcelona, Spain, was in charge of the Inaugural Conference of the event, with the theme “Delphi Method as a catalyst of epistemic communities: international approach for the response to COVID-19 and future pandemics”.

The activity was organized by Two Oceans In Health (2OIH), which is a health research center dedicated to building knowledge that empowers communities in the Dominican Republic through Health Research, Data Management, and Academic Initiatives, led by researchers Eddy Perez Then and Marija Miric.

The number of street dwellers in commercial Georgetown has been reduced significantly and a number of them have been trained and employed, according to Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud. “Some people don’t like to abide by the rules. Some people like the street kind of conditions and some people refuse ...

Santo Domingo.- UNICEF has raised concern over the rising prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Latin America and the Caribbean, which surpasses the global average. The organization has urged countries in the region to prioritize the prevention of this condition as a national public health goal.

In children under 5 years old, overweight prevalence increased from 6.8% (3.9 million people) in 2000 to 8.6% (4.2 million) in 2022. For children and adolescents aged 5 to 19, the prevalence of overweight rose from 21.5% (35 million people) in 2000 to 30.6% (49 million) in 2016. This alarming trend is attributed to obesogenic food environments that promote consumption of unhealthy products high in sugar, fat, and salt, as well as limited physical activity.

Overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence can lead to non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, hypertension, cancer, and a shorter life expectancy. UNICEF’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Garry Conille, emphasized the need to prioritize the health and well-being of children and adolescents.

UNICEF called for countries to declare the prevention of childhood overweight as a national public health priority, involving key stakeholders such as the public sector, academia, civil society, and the private sector.

The organization also stressed the importance of analyzing the causes of childhood overweight on a country-by-country basis and implementing evidence-based interventions that prioritize children’s rights. Increased public investment and resource allocation for prevention efforts, including surveillance and monitoring systems, are also recommended.

Two field hospitals costing approximately US$1 million were donated by the United States Government in March 2022 for emergency purposes

View the full post US Government thanked for disaster management support on NOW Grenada.

Santo Domingo.- As of now, the Dominican Republic has not detected any cases of the new EG.5 variant of COVID-19. Dr. Manuel Gil, while presenting the weekly epidemiological bulletin on the country’s COVID-19 situation, mentioned that the surveillance system is actively monitoring for the variant and is prepared to respond promptly if any cases are identified.

Dr. Gil clarified that the EG.5 variant doesn’t raise significant concerns as it exhibits low pathogenicity. This is a common evolutionary pattern for viruses, where they may evolve to a point where they either show no symptoms or the symptoms are not severe.

This week, Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health confirmed the discovery of three cases of the EG.5 variant within their country. This variant has caused an increase in cases in several other countries including China, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the United States.

In the past week, the Dominican Republic reported 125 new cases of COVID-19 out of 3,729 samples processed. The weekly positivity rate is 8.87%. The provinces with the highest number of active cases include Santiago, Espaillat, Duarte, San José de Ocoa, the National District, Santo Domingo, San Pedro de Macorís, La Altagracia, and San Juan.

Speech therapy plays an important role towards the holistic development of children. It improves overall communication, enhances social skills and enables them to cope better with society and function in day-to-day life. Early intervention and treatment can significantly enhance the lives of children and allow them to better integrate into their environment. To help children get the support they need, Scotiabank has contributed to a Speech Therapy Project with Variety – The Children’s Charity at the Albert Cecil Graham Development Centre (ACGDC).

Under this project, speech-language therapy intervention will be provided at the ACGDC to enrich the lives of children, increase the effectiveness of the service and assist in reducing the extended waiting list.

Marita Greenidge, Executive Director, Variety commented: “We are considerably grateful for this donation from Scotiabank. This support will aid in reducing the extensive waiting list for speech-language therapy at the ACGDC. Treating speech and language defects can promote increased self-confidence, better academic outcomes and wider social acceptance for children receiving therapy. We are thankful that Scotiabank is so passionate about driving inclusivity and removing barriers to advancement. Variety believes every child deserves a limitless future and we are overjoyed to work with caring partners like Scotia who want to help build a brighter future for this island’s most vulnerable.” 

Suzette Armoogam-Shah, Managing Director, Scotiabank Barbados signalled the bank’s ongoing support for developing young people. 

“How we support children today will enable their success in the future. Furthermore, it is important for all children to be afforded the same opportunities so that they can go on to lead successful lives. We are truly pleased to work with Variety on this project. It helps ensure that children in need of speech therapy achieve their full potential, feel a sense of belonging in our communities, and may even go a step further in acting as a source of inspiration to others.” (PR)

The post Scotiabank partners with Variety to offer speech therapy to children in need appeared first on Barbados Today.

The University of Guyana (UG) on Tuesday formally announced the establishment of a not-for-profit biodiversity research centre in the Essequibo River near the Mazaruni and Cuyuni rivers with an assurance by the British non-governmental organisation that the aim is not to export scientific information from the area. Co-founder of the Sophia Point Rainforest Research Institute, ...

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) of Ecuador has confirmed the presence of three cases of the EG.5 variant of COVID-19. This variant has triggered case surges in various countries including China, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the United States, and the Dominican Republic.

The National Undersecretary for Public Health Surveillance of the MSP, Francisco Pérez, revealed the detection of these cases in the province of Pichincha, with the capital Quito. The first case was identified around three weeks ago, with the patient currently asymptomatic and under home care. No transmission to others has been reported from this case.

Two more individuals with the EG.5 variant were identified, unrelated to the initial case. Although it can be assumed that the variant is circulating in Pichincha and possibly other parts of the country, the infected individuals have not exhibited severe symptoms.

Pérez emphasized that Ecuador hasn’t experienced the same impact from the variant as other countries. He urged the population, especially those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory issues, to increase health precautions, including mask-wearing. Vulnerable individuals were advised to maintain vaccination schedules.

A “seasonal vaccine” for COVID-19 is available for at-risk individuals within the national health system. The possibility of incorporating regular COVID-19 doses into the general inoculation system, similar to the approach for influenza, is under consideration.

EG.5 is a subvariant of the omicron lineage of COVID-19 and is already in circulation in Ecuador.

The dominant COVID-19 variant in the country is XBB.1.5, while other variants like XBB.1.16.1 have also been identified in different provinces. Despite low infection rates and minimal recent deaths from the disease, the MSP continues to monitor the situation.

Pérez noted that since there have been no significant changes in behavior or epidemic indicators, additional prevention measures beyond those already in place have not been proposed.

Furthermore, the undersecretary warned of an upswing in dengue cases due to heavy rains in coastal areas, specifically in Manabí and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas provinces. Dengue, a tropical disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, has led to 16 deaths this year. Dengue symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, and skin rashes. Approximately 70% of Ecuador’s territory provides favorable conditions for dengue transmission.