Santo Domingo.- The country has reported a total of 3,693 cases of chickenpox this year, which is higher than the number reported during the same period last year. The disease is caused by the varicella-zoster virus and presents with symptoms such as a blistering rash, fever, and tiredness. Health authorities have advised people not to be alarmed as chickenpox is a mild virus with a low mortality rate, and patients should be isolated at home to prevent spreading the disease.

The health officials also stressed the importance of taking precautions to prevent scratching and injuring the skin, which can lead to infections. Despite being highly contagious, there is no reason to worry as the virus is “very mild” and can be treated with care during the first ten days of incubation. In addition, the report shows a low number of active cases of dengue and Covid-19, with efforts being made to prevent further spread of these diseases.

The Ministry of Public Health has reported a total of 661,103 cases of Covid-19 to date, with 4,384 deaths. The country has made significant progress in terms of vaccine coverage, with over 30,000 people immunized with the pentavalent polio vaccine and SRP vaccine. The health authorities have urged people to continue taking precautions to prevent the spread of contagious diseases and work together to maintain a healthy population.

Santo Domingo.- The Acceleration Plan for Neonatal Mortality Reduction in the Dominican Republic was presented by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MISPAS) and the National Health Service (SNS) with the support of UNICEF, PAHO-CLAP, UNFPA, doctors from the Miguel Servet-Zaragoza University Hospital of Spain, and the Dominican Foundation for Mothers and Children (DOFMI).

This plan aims to reduce the number of newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in ten maternity wards and reduce neonatal mortality in NICUs in four hospitals. The implementation of this plan will take place in the maternal and child hospitals of San Lorenzo de Los Mina, Universitario Nuestra Señora de La Altagracia, Reynaldo Almánzar, Renée Klang de Guzmán, Jaime Mota, Alejandro Cabral, Morillo King, Juan Pablo Pina, Ricardo Limardo, and La Altagracia.

The launch event was attended by executives from the collaborating institutions, including doctors Mario Lama, executive director of the National Health Service, Eladio Pérez, Vice Minister of Collective Health, and Rosa Elcarte, representative of UNICEF.

Mario Lama, head of the SNS, stated that the reduction of neonatal mortality is a priority for 2023, and the aim is to achieve a 25% reduction compared to 2022. The plan’s objectives are to reduce the number of newborns entering the NICU in 10 maternity wards by strengthening microbiology laboratories, biosafety, and prenatal consultation, and to reduce neonatal mortality in NICUs by strengthening biosafety, infection prevention, and control, on-site evaluations by international experts, and implementation of their recommendations in the four national reference maternity hospitals.

UNICEF representative, Dr. Elcarte, emphasized the importance of the commitment of all the institutions involved in reducing neonatal mortality, the health providers, the decision-makers, the international cooperation, and the donors to make this acceleration plan a reality.

View the full post Performing Arts need boost to become an economic engine on NOW Grenada.

Less plaque, fewer cavities and healthier gums may be the more obvious benefits of flossing your teeth — but did you know it could also lower your risk of heart disease?

"There are a lot of studies that have talked about — at least for periodontal disease — the connection between gum disease and heart health," said Sasha Ross, DMD, a periodontist for Cleveland Clinic. 

Gum disease can cause high blood pressure and lead to inflammation and bacteria in the heart, research has shown, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

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"There’s really a very strong association between the two, where patients who have periodontal disease are at a much greater risk for having heart disease, stroke or other issues like that," Dr. Ross also told Fox News Digital.

Some 43% of adults 30 and older have some type of gum disease, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For adults 65 and older, that number rises to 70%.

Some people are more susceptible to complications even if they brush and floss every day, while others can do the bare minimum but have no issues at all, Dr. Ross pointed out. 

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Those who have heart valve disease are at a higher risk, according to Dr. Marietta Ambrose, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.

"The bacteria that live in your mouth when you have gum disease can cross into your bloodstream, enter the heart and directly infect the vulnerable heart valves," she said in a 2022 article on Penn Medicine’s website. 

"That’s especially concerning in our patients who have artificial heart valves."

People should brush their teeth at least twice a day and floss once a day, either before or after brushing, says the American Dental Association (ADA).

Some signs of flossing negligence include bleeding or swollen gums, plaque buildup, cavities, loose teeth, bad breath and gum recession, Dr. Ross said.

"I think a lot of people are never taught how to properly floss and what kind of floss to use, so at one of these visits we can work with you and show you how to do it," she said. 

"Then just make it part of your daily routine. I say it’s really good to floss once a day, ideally at night before you go to bed."

For those who are unsure about the proper way to floss, Dr. Ross recommends using a water pick or special brushes designed to clean between the teeth.

For best results, Dr. Ross recommends flossing between each set of teeth 10 to 15 times in an up-and-down motion. You can start from anywhere in the mouth. For each tooth, use a new, clean section of floss.

Waxed and unwaxed floss are both effective for plaque removal, but waxed floss might be easier for those whose teeth are spaced tightly together, Dr. Ross told Fox News Digital.

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It likely doesn't matter whether you brush or floss first, but Dr. Ross said that one study suggests flossing first may achieve better plaque removal.

"Most people have never been shown how to floss," she said. "Make sure to ask your dentist, periodontist or hygienist to demonstrate and watch you floss."

In addition to regular brushing and flossing, visit a dentist regularly and limit sugary foods and drinks to protect dental health, the ADA recommends.

To read more pieces in Fox News Digital's "Be Well" series, click here.

The hospital building has an area of 748 square meters and has an imaging center, sonography, physiotherapy, laboratory, gynecology, internal medicine, dentistry, pediatrics and pharmacy, 6 general specialty clinics, among other services.

The president was accompanied by the vice-minister of construction of Mived Danny Santos and other representatives of the entity. Santos explained that the health care center had an investment of 121 million pesos in construction and equipment.

He highlighted that the construction of this project was stopped since 2018 (with only 20% of execution) and was resumed in this management to finish its materialization.

Aerial view of the Diagnostic Center in Ciudad Juan BoschMIVED.

He added that the residents of this housing complex “will no longer have to move to another place to receive a quality hospital service” and that “the Dominican government is committed to health, because you, our people, come first.”

On his departure, the first head of state was seen off by community members carrying banners with the phrase “four more.”

The sectors that will mainly benefit from the opening of this Health Center are Las Aguas, La Ureña, Jerusalén, Nuevo Amanecer, Residencial Las Américas, Ciudad Satélite II, Los Paredones, and Paraíso III.

The head of state, together with Mived, delivered around 7 kilometers of asphalted streets and 3.5 kilometers of sidewalks and curbs.

Other activities

Abinader also presided over the inauguration of the new emergency room of the Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital, where he gave instructions for the remodeling of the burn unit of the hospital and the intensive care and pediatric area.

The burn unit will be put out to tender and would be ready between April and May 2024, said the director of the National Health Service (SNS), Mario Lama, who added that the areas currently being refurbished had been abandoned for a decade.

He detailed that the expansion and refurbishment carried out in the Emergency Room is valued at RD$76,523,581.80, which was completely equipped with an amount of RD$13,280,590.29.

In addition, he indicated that the readjustment of the spaces comprising the areas of the emergency office, suit with two cubicles, cure, plaster, nebulization with six stations, pharmacy, observation with 23 compartments (two isolated), waiting room, emergency area with 12 pieces, trauma shock with four cubicles and doctors and nurses station.

Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital Emergency Department

The Robert Reid Cabral emergency room also saw the construction of a front gate, a new ambulance canopy, a perimeter sidewalk, asphalt tarpaulin, exterior painting, and the construction of a gas control booth.

He also inaugurated in Brisas del Este, Los Frailes, 7 kilometers of asphalted streets and 3.5 kilometers of sidewalks and sidewalk repair, construction of scuppers and speed bumps, and painting of streets in this community for a value of RD$220 million.

Luis Abinader greets the students during the event.

The last activity in this area was the delivery of the Basic School Tomas Taveras Educational Center (Mandinga) with a capacity of 980 students and built with an investment of more than RD03 million.

The Minister of Education, Angel Hernandez, spoke of the importance of artificial intelligence in education today and explained that the Ministry of Education would soon launch the Decennial Education Plan which should take into account the changes in technology.

Clad in blue t-shirts bearing the words ‘Accept’, ‘Understand’, ‘Love’, the Autism Association of Barbados took to the streets this morning to help build awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Dozens of people participated in the Autism Awareness Heroes Walk, which is part of a series of events to mark Autism Awareness Month. A workshop on the tested tools for ASD and an awareness drive were among the other events held throughout April.

President of the association, Frank Johnson, said the annual walk is a means of educating the public on many traits and forms of the disorder.

“Being a spectrum disorder, of course, it affects people profoundly as well as lightly, but we are here to cover all of the bases today,” he told Barbados TODAY.

Under the watchful eye of the Barbados Police Service, participants walked from the headquarters of the  Barbados Council for the Disabled located at Garrison, St Michael, to Hastings Road, through Dayrells Road and back. (JB)

The post Dozens participate in Autism Awareness Heroes Walk appeared first on Barbados Today.

Rodriguez Monegro stated that the problem is not limited to the public sector but also affects the private sector, with high maternal and infant mortality rates indicating the need for improvements. He cited the low level of investment in the health sector as a significant issue, calling for increased funding to be made available for the provision of neonatal care, which he believes is a priority in the country.

Rodriguez Monegro stated that the issue of prenatal care is essential and that the health of the mother is closely linked to healthy, full-term children. He also highlighted that investment in health should be increased so that it can become a government priority, with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommending an investment between 6 and 8% of GDP, which contrasts with the 2% currently allocated in the country. The former director further noted that 98% of pregnant women have at least four prenatal check-ups and give birth in institutions with the assistance of health professionals.

However, problems still arise due to the poor quality of care provided, which often leads to infectious problems not being detected in time, causing an increase in premature births.

“St George’s University has been a wonderful partner to Grenada Lifeguards, insuring and maintaining an AED at the lifeguard tower on Grand Anse Beach”

View the full post Big thanks to SGU for recent lifeguard training on NOW Grenada.

While kidney transplants are approved and about 100 are performed each year, other organs such as the heart, liver, lungs, intestines, pancreas, and tissues are not covered. This means that low-income individuals are unable to afford these procedures due to the lack of comprehensive financing.

There are approximately 250 patients with terminal renal failure, 800 requiring liver transplants, 500 requiring heart transplants, and over 100 in need of bone marrow transplants annually in the country. The director of the National Institute for the Coordination of Transplants (Incort), Fernando Morales Billini, believes that a law providing full coverage by Health Risk Administrators (ARS) for all organs except for the kidney would be beneficial for these individuals. However, Sisalril, the Superintendence of Health and Occupational Risks, claims that establishing financial coverage requires the presence of care networks, protocols, and cost information for effective coverage.

Although there are 13 hospitals in the country equipped to perform transplants, there are still obstacles preventing potential donors from contributing. These include family refusal, inadequate maintenance, and medical contraindications. Despite the challenges, the director of Incort believes that up to 500 potential donors could be produced in the country each year.