The head of the local Health Department assured that efforts are being made to combat the epidemic with all social sectors and government areas. “We will likely have more success in reducing cases and avoiding hospitalizations,” the official stated.
By Soledad Martínez
martinezgsoledad@gmail.com
Alejandro Collia, head of the La Matanza Health Department, provided details about the strategies being implemented in the municipality to combat dengue, during an interview on the No Te Duermas program on Radio Hexa (Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:00).
Collia highlighted the adaptability of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector responsible for transmitting dengue, and emphasized the importance of strengthening all prevention efforts. “Today, eggs are found in ovitraps (simple traps used in urban areas for vector surveillance), in places like Río Negro, which speaks to their resilience.”
These eggs can remain dormant for long periods and reactivate under the right climatic conditions. However, the mosquito loses its ability to transmit the disease when temperatures drop below 13 degrees Celsius. “Once the climatic factor appears, the larva-pupa-mosquito cycle is completed, and the transmission cycle of the disease begins,” Collia explained.
The official stressed: “We are working hard with all community stakeholders on prevention, because that is the goal to achieve, through eliminating standing water.” In this regard, Collia noted that the Aedes aegypti eggs breed “in any container left outdoors, it is a peri-domiciliary mosquito that lives in gardens or on rooftops.”
How to Prevent Dengue?
It is crucial to eliminate breeding sites year-round, through “descacharreo” (removal of containers that collect water), the primary place where eggs are laid.
“We are working with all actors and social sectors, as well as all government areas, to raise awareness among the population, and working on epidemiology, which is important because it helps build curves, analyze areas with high dengue prevalence, and focus interventions in specific locations,” added the head of the local health department.
Collia provided more details on the measures being taken by the municipality to prevent disease transmission. “We are working not only on descacharreo but also on the use of repellents, which should be used primarily inside the home.”
In this regard, Collia regretted that the cost of repellents is an obstacle for many families. “It’s something that happens episodically. Unfortunately, it’s another issue related to our way of being. We want personal improvement without considering the collective perspective. We are talking about a disease,” he expressed.
Worrying Projections
“We expect a very strong epidemic. The projection is 30,000 dengue cases in La Matanza, compared to 12,000 last year, with 3% potentially requiring hospitalization or developing severe dengue,” Collia revealed, although he also assured that “the healthcare system in La Matanza and the province is prepared to handle it.”
In light of this situation, the official emphasized the importance of vaccination. “La Matanza had identified around 9,000 cases in the national health information system, of which about 7,500 have already been vaccinated with the first dose,” he reported.
Alejandro Collia highlighted the public policy implemented by the provincial government in this regard. “This is very important. Governor Kicillof made a great effort to purchase vaccines, something that not all jurisdictions have done, and that will help reduce the severity of the disease. Vaccinated individuals generally don’t develop severe dengue,” he emphasized.
Once again, the official stressed the importance of following the recommendations of health authorities. “By combining prevention, compliance with measures, and working with all sectors, we will likely have more success in reducing cases and avoiding hospitalizations,” he concluded.
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