The government of President Javier Milei defined a series of measures to be implemented throughout the country, with the aim of combating the dengue before the summer, when cases will begin to rise. This is a ccombination of preventive measures, Territorial control of mosquitoes and targeted vaccination for the most exposed population.
This week the Minister of Health, Mario Russoled a meeting with health authorities in which the Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dengue 2024-2025 was presented,
What is the Government’s plan to combat dengue?
“To effectively address the growing, diverse and complex problem of arboviral diseases, it is essential to increase the capacity of the health system and ensure the commitment and participation of other State actors at all levels, such as the education and environmental sectors, as well as the media and, fundamentally, the community itself,” the Government stated in its comprehensive plan.
This program includes “diverse and important aspects, such as epidemiological surveillance and public health measures; vector prevention and control; the capacity of health services to offer timely and quality care; and community communication and participation, integrated into strategic planning and management, is essential to contribute to this objective.”
He Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dengue 2024-2025 presented by the Ministry of Health of the Nation is structured in eight key components:
- Coordination, planning, financing and monitoring
- Research and epidemiological surveillance integrated and adjustments to public health measures
- Virological surveillance of arboviruses
- Case management, organization of health services, infection prevention and control
- Entomological surveillance and vector control
- Communication and community participation
- Prevention by vaccines
- Operational support and logistics
One of the key points is the targeted vaccination, which was defined for the endemic areas based on risk criteria: epidemiological, geographic, socioeconomic and effective access to health services. The objective is start vaccination in the departments with the highest incidence of cases.
To achieve this goal, the Nation acquired doses for targeted vaccination in addition to the stock that the provinces have already acquired to meet the projections for this stage.
“The vaccine is purchased by the Nation for the target population,” Minister Russo said in radio statements.
Where vaccinations to prevent dengue will begin
“For us, the initial population to start Vaccination is for those between 15 and 19 years old, in very specific sectors, mainly in the provinces of NOA and NEAaccording to the incidence of the disease they had this year and the access to health care they have.”
The Secretary for Health Quality, Leonardo Busso, said that the comprehensive plan is “the product of a consensual work that has been carried out since May with the ministers of the provinces and the different areas of the Ministry of Health of the Nation, so that each jurisdiction can adapt it according to its conditions and needs.”
In addition, the strategy also focuses on maintain territorial vector prevention and control measures throughout the year, strengthening actions against the mosquito.
A working group was also set up with provincial ministers, focusing on local control, early consultation and home monitoring of cases.
In terms of patient care, the Provincial Clinical Referral Network and the Guidelines Guide for the reorganization of health services in situations of dengue outbreaks or epidemics were launched, aimed at ensuring adequate and timely care, reducing waiting times and handling cases according to criteria of severity.
The following health ministers participated in this week’s meeting: Nicolas Kreplak, from the province of Buenos Aires; Lucas Zamperi, from Catamarca; Sergio Rodriguez, from Chaco; Ricardo Pieckestainer, from Cordoba; Anibal Gomez, from Formosa; Mario Koan, from La Pampa; Juan Carlos Vergara, from La Rioja; Hector Gonzalez, from Misiones; Martin Regueiro, from Neuquen; Ana Senesi, from Rio Negro; Federico Mangione, from Salta; Amilcar Dobladez Zunino, from San Juan; Ariel Varela, from Santa Cruz; Silvia Ciancio, from Santa Fe; and Natividad Nassif, from Santiago del Estero.
Also present were: the Undersecretary of Primary, Outpatient and Community Care of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Gabriel Battistella; the Directors of Epidemiology of Chubut, Mariela Britto; of Corrientes, Angelina Bobadilla; of Tucumán, Romina Cuezzo; of Mendoza, Andrea Falaschi; and of Tierra del Fuego, Alejandra Aguilera; and the Provincial Head of Immunizations, Roxana Fatum.
Source: Ambito
