Santo Domingo.- The increase in cases of influenza in the child population it represents a hard blow to the pockets of parents who, due to the high cost of treatment and the lack of coverage by the Health Risk Administrators (ARS), see their budget affected.
Starting with the test for its diagnosis that is not covered by the ARS, it has a cost of 1,200 pesos and others, it is not carried out in the laboratories of the centers of the public health network.
Once you have the test result, if it is positive The parents find themselves in the need to buy the medicines ordered by the pediatrician, which is around 7,800 pesos.
“The girl first lost her appetite, a very high fever, cough and vomiting,” a mother whose three-year-old daughter had the virus explained to El Día.
Treatment
Treatment for influenza consists of antiviral drugs. The CDC recommends immediate treatment for people who have known or suspected disease and who are at increased risk of serious complications, such as people with asthma, diabetes (including gestational diabetes), or heart disease.
In accordance with Clemente Terrero, director of the Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital, In most cases, children also need fever, flu, and oral hydration medications.
Part of the medicines to treat influenza.
What the Dominican Medical College says
The doctor Senen Caba, President of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), understands that the denial of ARS coverage should not be surprising since it is the same thing that was done with the COVID-19 tests during the pandemic.
We invite you to read: Influenza: why it is important to get vaccinated
Vaccinate children
“Very few children have the influenza vaccine, it is not in the traditional vaccination schedule, because it is given annually and the mother does not take into account the date she gave it, to return the following year to get it. , despite the fact that we as doctors are always reminding them, that children always have to be vaccinated in November,” reported pediatrician Marisela Mesa.
Dr. Mesa explained that most public and private health centers are registering cases of children admitted with influenza and pneumonia, which cause a high fever and a very persistent cough, which causes concern in mothers.
The specialist said that health centers have significantly increased the number of children with flu, febrile symptoms.
Vaccines
Last week the Ministry of Public Health reported that the country has 475 thousand doses of influenza received by the ministry through the Directorate of Immunopreventable by Vaccines (DIV), 350 will be applied, in addition to older adults, to pregnant women, health workers and patients with underlying diseases, and the remaining 125 thousand to children from six months to two years.
“This vaccine is of singular importance to prevent influenza and its possible serious complications, as a result of which medical consultations have been reduced by up to 60%, and consequently, the number of hospitalizations and deaths from this cause” highlighted the minister of Hello, Daniel Rivera.
