Five years after the Dominican Republic reported its last case of polio and the Pan American health Organization declared the country polio-free, several other illnesses seem to be on the road to eradication. The Ministry of Health says that measles, neonatal tetanus and whooping-cough have also entered into the process of elimination. In 1995 no cases of these illnesses were reported. Nevertheless, in 1995 there have been three deaths from diphtheria. Dr. Sonia Valdez, at the Ministry of Public Health explained that up to the 48th week of the year, of 30 probable cases of polio, 24 were incorrectly diagnosed. She said that out of 13 cases of suspected diphtheria, three have been confirmed. Whooping-cough victims were less than one per 100,000 inhabitants in 1993 and 1994 and, so far this year, not a single case has been reported. With regard to measles, an illness of which there were more than 7,000 cases reported in 1988, as of the 49th week of this year there had not been a single case.
She attributed the decline in the number of
reported diseases to the vigorous vaccination campaigns carried out by the
Ministry of Public Health that have blanketed areas in house-to-house visits,
inoculating newly born babies and children up to 15 years.
Dr. Valdez said that in 1992, the Dominican
Republic gave a commitment to the World Summit Pro Children to eliminate
measles by 1995 for which it began the vaccination plan for children from nine
months to 15 years. The statistics indicate that the goal was accomplished.
She said that nevertheless, the vaccination
campaigns must continue as these illnesses still exist in other parts of the
world and could be imported from abroad.
19-25
January 1996