Dominican Republic recorded 3,210 cases of tuberculosis in 2021, with an incidence rate of 31 people per 100,000 inhabitants and a fatality rate of 1.8%, which increased to 2.2% in coinfected patients.
This was explained to Diario Libre by the coordinator of the Program of Tuberculosis from the Ministry of Public Health, Melania Encarnación.
The numbers
The cases reported in 2021 register an increase of 28% compared to 2020, when there were 2,500 infections, a figure that, according to Encarnación, was impacted by COVID-19. They also had a decrease of 15% in relation to the cases of 2019, which amounted to 3,778.
The tuberculosis is a potentially serious infectious bacterial disease that primarily affects the lungs. So far in the first quarter of this 2022, according to information from Public Health, 548 people have been diagnosed with tuberculosis. This March 23 was commemorated the Dia World Cup Tuberculosis.
“In 2020, after the first quarter, everything went down a lot, in fact, in 2020 we had 2,500 cases and the rate dropped a lot to 24 per 100,000 inhabitants. This had to do with the pandemic… the patients no longer went to the center, the same employees were at home and all these measures greatly affected detection and treatment because everything was COVID-19,” said Encarnación.
According to Encarnación, the population that is most affected in the country by this disease are co-infected people (with HIV), those deprived of liberty and migrants, while the demarcations that register the most infections are the Greater Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, La Altagracia and El Seibo.
“One of the most common infections in people with HIV is tuberculosis. Every patient diagnosed with tuberculosis must be screened for HIV and every patient with HIV must be screened for tuberculosis.”Coordinator of the Tuberculosis Program of the Ministry of Public Health
The person in charge of the Program Tuberculosis of the Moscoso Puello hospital, María Coronado, explained that, although this disease is potentially curable if not treated in time, it can end the life of the patient, so she recommended that people with symptoms go to the doctor to start their treatment.
He explained that the symptoms of people with tuberculosis include night fever, productive cough for more than 15 days, chills, and general weakness. Similarly, he explained that the treatment for these patients lasts more than six months, is free and is administered in the center where the person is treated.
“A single patient could spend $350 to $375 a day if purchased.”Head of the Tuberculosis Program at Moscoso Puello Hospital
In this sense, Encarnación explained that the treatment for people with tuberculosis It is free thanks to funds allocated by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
He specified that people with tuberculosis they must be in treatment for six months and have to go to the center where they are treated to take the medication, which allows better control of the evolution of the infected person.
“Similarly, we have promoters to go to the home of the patient who cannot go to take the medicine, promoters are assigned to the center, patients are receiving assistance from psychologists and we are bringing food kits,” he said.
On the other hand, Encarnación stressed the importance of not stigmatizing patients diagnosed with tuberculosis. He said that the Ministry of Public Health has put a lot of emphasis on the results-oriented budget, aimed at making patients more adherent.
The coordinator indicated that one of the actions carried out by the ministry within the “Strategy for the End of the Tuberculosis 2022-2025”, is to ensure the mental health of these patients.
“The tuberculosis is a disease that causes depression in patients because we understand that everyone who is sick with tuberculosis it must be isolated and cannot be incorporated into society. The tuberculosis It cures”, he claimed.
Encarnación stated that epidemiological surveillance is carried out permanently in the country’s prisons, allowing the detection of some 25 positive cases of the disease in the La Victoria prison, out of 285 that were studied.
“We have found cases in these interventions, not because outbreaks have been reported, but because our strategy includes surveillance of our vulnerable populations, such as those deprived of liberty,” said the coordinator.
In addition to La Victoria, the interventions to those deprived of liberty are carried out in penitentiary centers of 15 de Azua and in the El Seibo prison.
Meanwhile, so far this year at the Moscoso Puello Hospital there have been 45 cases of tuberculosiswhile in 2021, 199 were reported. In 2020, 185 people were diagnosed and in 2019, 209 were infected.
