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No health risk to Dominican tourists after Haiti tragedy
posted on: Feb 19 2010 12:45 by Royston. Viewed 1239 times.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said yesterday that tourism in the Dominican Republic was at "no risk" after the earthquake of Jan. 12 in Haiti that left about 217,000 dead.
The representative of PAHO in the country, Merlin Fernandez said there was no risk at all for tourists visiting the Dominican Republic, "because all health measures to be taken in such cases have been implemented by the Government Dominican in an effective way."
Fernandez said in a statement that the Dominican and Haitian authorities, with support from aid agencies, have secured epidemiological control at the border and affected areas with robust actions to prevent disease outbreaks.
The Dominican Government has implemented diphtheria and tetanus vaccines for the entire population without distinction of any kind along the entire border, and has also taken steps to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases and other transmitted diseases as well as tuberculosis," he said.
The representative of PAHO reported that while the Americas region is considered polio-free territory, a passive surveillance is maintained.
With regard to malaria, Fernandez was satisfied that appropriate measures were in place at the border to protect everyone, including the aid workers, traveling to and from Haiti.
He said that it will take significant efforts to rehabilitate the victims, while he also stressed the need to provide mental health support due to the impact of the tragedy on the earthquake survivors.