Country Considers One-Dose Dengue Vaccine; New Hospital Set to Open
The country is looking into the possibility of introducing a single-dose vaccine against dengue, Dengvaxia, which could be integrated into the national vaccination schedule by next year, according to Viceminister of Comprehensive Health, Santiago García.
García commented, "We are studying the option of using the dengue vaccine in the country. Dengvaxia is the only dengue vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended for routine use by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices." He further added, "We are evaluating the possibility of including it or not in our annual vaccination calendar."
The viceminister emphasized that the vaccine’s application would depend on the technical decision made, potentially happening within this year or the next.
When asked about the specific vaccine under study, García clarified, "Dengvaxia is the one we are studying to determine its potential use. We are conducting all necessary studies within the health surveillance system to assess its impact on health, the age group it would be applied to, and other technical details that are currently under consideration."
Moreover, García announced that the General Hospital of Coronel Oviedo is expected to begin operations in the first quarter of this year. This hospital, once completed, will cater to approximately 600,000 people, providing a solution for patients who previously had to be referred to capital hospitals.
The viceminister also revealed that the next hospital to be inaugurated in the first semester is the Gran Hospital del Sur in Encarnación, which is double the size of the one in Coronel Oviedo.
Read more about dengue and the potential inclusion of the vaccine in the national vaccination calendar here. For updates on dengue-affected regions, click here.
