The minister asks for “tranquility” and calls for “continued progress” in flu vaccination for children between 6 months and five years
SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, 25 (PRESS EUROPE)
The Minister of Health, Julio García Comesaa, acknowledged this Friday that his department is awaiting the evolution of the situation in pediatric emergencies because, he said, since October there has been “a rebound” and an “increase in the incidence “, both in pediatric consultations in primary care and in pediatric emergencies.
While not specifying figures, Comesaa assured that the Minister is making “every effort” to satisfy this request and highlighted the “strengthening of triage”.
When asked by the media after attending the closing ceremony of the presentation of a project to combat the stigma of mental illness in young people aged 11 to 13, Comesaa wanted to convey to the population the “tranquility” that “they are going to be treated” in emergencies pediatric.
In this line he specified that the pathologies that are recorded are “less serious”. “Fortunately, they are not serious pathologies and do not require hospitalization but, in any case, when they have to be hospitalized, all the pediatric hospitalization units are available”, remarked García Comesaa.
INFLUENZA VACCINATION
In this context, he encouraged “continuing to advance” in the flu vaccination for boys and girls aged between 6 months and five years, which Sanidade is extending to all Galician hospitals starting this weekend, following the pilot test last week in the Sanitary Area of Santiago and Barbanza.
The goal, the minister stressed, is “to prevent the child from infecting the most vulnerable people in his environment”. For this, he added, “it is interesting to advance as many children as possible”, given that “the peak of this year’s flu wave” should “arrive”. “The sooner we vaccinate children, the cutting effect will be more effective,” he stressed.
From the experience of last week’s pilot test, García Comesaa assured that he had concluded that, by “concentrating” the vaccination in 24 hours, “almost tripled” the number of vaccines delivered, compared to what was recorded “over a period” in health centers .
MS ACCESSIBLE
In this sense, he defended the “accessibility” of this model which, according to what he indicated, “was well received by fathers and mothers”, since “there was a certain convenience in access and care”. “In view of the fact that this solution has favored this accessibility, we have decided to extend it to all health areas,” said the manager of Sanidade.
The place and times of the vaccination will be communicated via SMS to the parents or guardians of minors. In this way they will be able to be summoned to be vaccinated throughout this Saturday in one of the 14 public hospitals in the Community, which will be the closest to their home, as shown on their health card.
During Sunday, the device will remain active in the hospitals of Vigo, A Corua, Santiago de Compostela, Ourense and Pontevedra. The vaccination hours will be from 10:00 to 14:30 and from 14:30 to 20:00, except in the case of Ourense, which vaccinates only on Sundays in the morning.
Specifically, the pediatric vaccination will be carried out in the following Galician hospital centers: Teresa Herrera Mother and Child Hospital, Virxe da Xunqueira Public Hospital, Marcide Arquitecto Hospital, Pontevedra Provincial Hospital, Salns Public Hospital, Lucus Augusti University Hospital, Maria Public Hospital, Public Hospital Monforte de Lemos, lvaro Cunqueiro Hospital, Santiago University Hospital Complex, Barbanza Public Hospital, Ourense University Hospital Complex, Valdeorras Public Hospital and Vern Public Hospital.
