AMERICA/ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - University students involved in “door to door” campaign against malaria, dengue and leptospirosis after the deaths of 60 people

Santo Domingo (Agenzia Fides) - About 900 medicine students at the Università Autonoma di Santo Domingo (UASD) are involved in a door to door campaign for the prevention of leptospirosis and other killer diseases in the country.
They will be joined by students of other local universities to distribute 3 million leaflets of preventive information on dengue, malaria and hepatitis A, to reduce the number of cases of these diseases and of leptospirosis.
Leptospirosi, transmitted with the urine of rats and other animals, has caused the death of 29 people and infected another 308, who are receiving treatment. Since the beginning of the year 60 people have died of this disease.
The Dominican health ministry said the recent Noel tropical storm which killed 87 people in the country, brought rats out of sewers and led to contagion.
Besides these preventive measures the local health ministry is promoting days of preventative information and control involving community and student organisations, of Santo Domingo, the province and San Cristóbal.
“We must be watchful to control the propagation of the infection” said the health minister Bautista Rojas.
According to the Pan-American Health Organisation, attention must be given to water, sanitation, garbage and other elements which foster the propagation of rats, the main carriers. (AP) (26/11/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:28; Parole:312)