Rome (Fides Service) - “Unfairness in the field of health is unjust and immoral” the Argentinean Minister of Health said at the beginning of a regional meeting to prevent and control Dengue fever.
Among those present for the 1st Latin American Symposium on Strategies for the Prevent and Control of Dengue were members of the World Health Organisation and the Pan-American Health Organisation.
Dengue or break-bone fever in Argentina is a serious threat for some 5 million people living in places where from the biological and environmental conditions are conducive to the development of this disease. At least one hundred municipal health centres have been warned of the risk of Dengue fever in its different forms.
According to the World Health Organisation every year more than 80 million people on every continent except Europe contract the disease. About 550,000 are hospitalised and of these 20,000 die. In America the carrier insect is present from the United States to Argentina although not Canada, Uruguay or continental Chile (AP) (29/10/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:18; Parole: 169)