NewsWhore
05-01-2009, 04:50 PM
The Ministry of Public Health says that due to concerns about the flu virus, as well as the prevention campaign, special wards have prepared for a possible influx of patients suspected of having the illness. He said that the wards will be available at public hospitals with hundreds of beds with clean sheets, masks, disposable wipes, soap, washbasins, paper rolls, as well as robes and special glasses for the health workers. The Ministry announced that 70 epidemiologists have been deployed throughout the country to follow up on suspicious cases as well as people who arrived in the country from Mexico since early April. Rojas Gomez said that 50 of these travelers have been contacted and are being monitored.
The official also reminded private health centers to inform the National Epidemiology Department about any suspicious cases so that they can be investigated following international medical protocols. He warned that if this is not done the clinics could run the risk of losing their accreditation.
Rojas Gomez said he met with provincial hospital directors of provinces with airports yesterday. He said that the thermographs used to measure the body temperature of arriving passengers are now installed.
Regarding the laboratory materials for the clinical tests, Rojas Gomez assured reporters that 7,000 sets were available at the Center for Medical Education and Dominican-Japanese Friendship (Cemadoja), but that a further 100,000 will be available in a few days. He said that 8-10 tests are done each day and so far all have been negative. On Saturday a half million units of Otealmivir (Teramiflu), the medicine the WHO recommends for treating the AN1H1 virus will arrive. This will be enough for 50,000 patients. The director of the Essential Medicine Program (Promese), Elena Fernandez, said that the medicine would be distributed by the Public Health Ministry to be ready in case the swine flu hits. She said that the Promese has sufficient masks and soaps available.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)
The official also reminded private health centers to inform the National Epidemiology Department about any suspicious cases so that they can be investigated following international medical protocols. He warned that if this is not done the clinics could run the risk of losing their accreditation.
Rojas Gomez said he met with provincial hospital directors of provinces with airports yesterday. He said that the thermographs used to measure the body temperature of arriving passengers are now installed.
Regarding the laboratory materials for the clinical tests, Rojas Gomez assured reporters that 7,000 sets were available at the Center for Medical Education and Dominican-Japanese Friendship (Cemadoja), but that a further 100,000 will be available in a few days. He said that 8-10 tests are done each day and so far all have been negative. On Saturday a half million units of Otealmivir (Teramiflu), the medicine the WHO recommends for treating the AN1H1 virus will arrive. This will be enough for 50,000 patients. The director of the Essential Medicine Program (Promese), Elena Fernandez, said that the medicine would be distributed by the Public Health Ministry to be ready in case the swine flu hits. She said that the Promese has sufficient masks and soaps available.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)