Community education through the ‘Salud al barrio-Médico en tu casa’ program has been the basis of the intervention against dengue.
The actions that under the leadership of the Alcaldesa Virna Johnsonadvances the district administration, they deliver a positive result in terms of dengue control which, as of July 1, does not register cases of death from this disease in Santa Marta.
“In Colombia, as of July 1, there have been 53,500 confirmed cases of dengue, of which 247 have occurred in the District of Santa Marta (0.5%) and of the 29 cases of confirmed deaths from dengue in the country, no has registered a case in the city, however, there are three (3) probable cases that are under study,” he said. Jorge Bernal Conde, Secretary of Health.
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A fundamental role in obtaining this achievement they play it community health education days through the medical teams that visit families in the neighborhoods and villages of the District, in compliance with programs such as ‘Mayor’s office on the street’ and the ‘School of health for social and community leaders’, in which healthy habits are promoted of prevention, such as keeping clean waters covered to prevent the spread of mosquitoes, the early detection of symptoms and the decision to go immediately to the medical service or emergencies, ensuring that the cases presented are attended to in a timely manner.
Of the 247 confirmed cases in Santa Marta, 30.4% (75 cases) have mild symptoms; 67.2% (166 cases) have presented warning signs, of which 85% have been hospitalized; and 2.4% are considered severe dengue (6 cases), all of them hospitalized, receiving proper medical care. This means that there are cases in which families go to the medical service in a timely manner, so they receive care that reduces the risk of death, especially children and older adults, who are the most vulnerable population.
Although the rate of dengue incidence in Santa Marta is low (44.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) In relation to the country average (148.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), dengue will continue to be a disease of high concern for the District Health Secretary; therefore, it recommends that families keep clean water containers covered, eliminate stagnant water deposits in pots or tires, do not self-medicate and go to the doctor and the emergency room with your children or older adults in a timely mannerwhen in addition to fever, headache and muscle pain, they begin to present abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea or some bleeding.
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