The social protection of Dominicans increased significantly during the present administration, going from 78% to 98%, revealed this Thursday the Vice-Minister of Collective Health of the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Eladio Pérez.
He also said that from 5,700 patients with chronic diseases who received their treatments through the High Cost Medicines Program, it went to 16,000, representing an increase of 300 %.
The official spoke in these terms during the launching of the vaccination day against influenza A (H1N1), A (H3N2) and type B influenza, at the San Francisco de Asís nursing home, which was attended by the PAHO representative in the country, Alba Ropero and the director of the National Council for the Elderly, Dr. José García Ramírez, Dr. Aida Lucía Vargas, of the Directorate of Immunopreventables by Vaccines (DIV) and Sister Eugenia López Rodríguez, director of the nursing home.
He also informed that the coverage of the affiliates of the National Health Insurance received an increase of more than 100 %, since it was raised from 1 million to 2 million.
Dr. Eladio Pérez also said that the MSP is able to protect the entire population at risk of contracting the influenza virus and that instead of the 200,000 doses previously received, 470,000 doses were acquired this year.
He added that, given the increase in the number of cases and the influx of patients with respiratory diseases to the health care centers, special interest has been placed in applying the vaccine as soon as possible, given its effectiveness in reducing the risk of seasonal influenza infection and pneumonia.
Dr. Aida Lucia Vargas informed that only 18 days after receiving the vaccine, 87,000 doses have been applied and 262,000 of the 470,000 doses received have been distributed in the Area and Provincial Health Directorates (DAS/DPS), the agencies responsible for ensuring that prevention reaches the most remote areas of the country.
The influenza virus presents symptoms such as high fever, intense headache, frequent chills, sore throat, dry and continuous cough, muscle aches, sore throat and intense burning eyes.
“In the last months of the year there is an increase in respiratory cases, and that is why we want to impact with the application of the vaccine as soon as possible, in order to avoid the circulation of the seasonal influenza virus, so that by December, when the cold is more intense, the groups at risk are already protected”, he added.
He also said that in addition to influenza, in nursing homes and day care centers, where people with a high degree of dependency spend the night, they will be vaccinated against pneumococcus Prevenal 13. They are also offered comprehensive assistance that contributes to the rehabilitation of these users.
Dr. Aida Lucia Vargas said that in addition to the elderly adults, children between 6 months and 2 years of age, pregnant women, health workers and patients with chronic conditions, are among the vulnerable groups identified to receive the vaccine.
The DIV director informed that vaccination posts have been set up in important commercial centers of Greater Santo Domingo, where the population can go to get vaccinated, such as: Plaza Central, Plaza Lama de la 27 de Febrero, Multicentro Churchil and Megacentro, as well as in tents of the Ministry of Health and the Santo Socorro hospital.
Source: presidencia.gov.do
