DR and PAHO join forces to combat Dengue

Santo Domingo.- The Minister of Public Health, Víctor Atallah, held a meeting with Alba María Ropero Álvarez, the representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for the Dominican Republic. The purpose of this meeting was to coordinate and formulate a strategic plan for the prevention and control of dengue.

This meeting is part of the ongoing collaborative efforts between both entities, where plans are systematically developed to combat and prevent the spread of the disease within the Dominican Republic.

The collaboration agreement stems from a request by the Ministry of Health to the World Health Organization (WHO), seeking support from this international entity in the prevention and control of dengue—a vector-borne disease that has significantly impacted the region.

In response, both the Ministry of Health and PAHO recognized the urgency of establishing a collective health program management group, focusing on the most affected provinces. This group will be responsible for continuous monitoring and evaluation of the action plan to eliminate dengue vectors.

PAHO has also committed to providing technical cooperation support to enhance services, including training personnel at all levels of care, including the private sector. This involves the visit of international experts in the Management of Arbovirosis Clinic (RENACAR), with an official launch scheduled for March 2024.

Furthermore, the agreement includes the development and launch of an entomological survey application, educational campaigns in schools, community dialogues, and empowerment initiatives through various educational and communication programs.

The Vice Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez, and the Director of Prevention and Promotion, Dr. Miguel Brujan, were also present at the meeting. They emphasized the need for regional epidemiological training workshops to address the new dengue surveillance protocol, considering that the disease’s behavior, influenced by climatic factors, deviates from regular epidemiological patterns.

Minister Atallah reaffirmed the commitment to the health and well-being of all Dominicans and expressed gratitude to PAHO/WHO for its ongoing support in these critical initiatives. The coordinated efforts aim for an effective and sustained response against dengue.