Not having a specific dengue treatment, it is very important that the alarm signals to make a timely medical consultation and avoid complications. The “callers” are trained to accompany and guide patients, and give notice to the Health system for early and timely care.
How the callers act
Since the new outbreak began to chop in a point in number of cases, from Municipal Health they reactivated this group trained in epidemiology and focused on the problem of dengue.
There are 16 people who have a general coordinator, communicate through different telephone numbers and make a first contact by WhatsApp with the positive dengue patientaccording to the data of the epidemiological file they receive in which it is stated that this person is at risk.
In this new outbreak, 1,234 cases have already followed: 114 in February, 466 in March and 654 in April, following the increase in infections in Rosario.
The Secretary of Health of the municipality of Rosario, Soledad Rodríguez, told The capital that “since its conformation in July 2021 the group of callers never stopped working (although it was monitoring different diseases). It came to have almost 500 members during the pandemic.” He formed with municipal personnel who could not attend during covid in person.
“The number of callers was decreasing and taking care of various issues: if a Coqueluche case appears in a school year, they communicate with all families,” the official said as an example.
And he stressed: “In relation to dengue, already With the previous outbreak we saw that its operation was very important. Today its members depend on epidemiology. It is a very valuable surveillance instrument. “
Dengue: Priority groups
They call over 60 years, relatives of children under two years, pregnant women and people of all ages with chronic pathologies. They cover both patients who are treated in the private sector and the public.
In a first contact, by cell phone, the person who speaks to him from the municipality is explained. “Some patients decide to continue tracking by this way and others prefer to be called by the phone,” said the Secretary of Health.
Meanwhile, he added: “The caller investigates the clinical picture, if he is having a good hydration or if the fever is controlled with paracetamol. And it is investigated in each communication on the alarm signs: if there is strong headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, some kind of bleeding, confusion.”
>> Read more: Dengue in Rosario: The greatest amount of infections this season is given in the center
You follow a protocol Because “nothing is randomly freed,” Rodríguez said: “According to the answers they get, they continue a Action Guide which includes contacting other health areas if necessary. It is listening and is management. “
The caller does contact every 48 hours as routine or more times if necessary. The group Work 24 hours a week 24 hours a week And the follow -up is done until day 10 from the diagnosis, when dengue symptoms already disappear.
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