The Dominican Republic received a technical mission from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to review the mechanisms for detection, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of bacterial meningitis. The visit, which took place between September 14 and 17 in Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros, concluded with the definition of five cooperation priorities to strengthen the health response.
The mission was part of the PAHO Disease Elimination Initiative and was aligned with the global roadmap to defeat meningitis by 2030.
According to the regional organization, national and international specialists evaluated the care pathway from the identification of a suspected case to laboratory confirmation, treatment, notification, and the use of information to guide public health decisions.
PAHO carried out the work in coordination with the Ministry of Health of the Dominican Republic and included technical meetings, visits to health services in Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros, as well as a review at the National Reference Laboratory.
In the hospitals, the teams analyzed the early identification of signs and symptoms, the collection and processing of samples, the timely initiation of treatments, and the communication of results. They also evaluated infection prevention and control measures, case notification, and the follow-up of …
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Technical evaluation forms part of the international roadmap seeking to defeat meningitis by 2030. / (PAHO)
The Dominican Republic received a technical mission from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to review the mechanisms for detection, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of bacterial meningitis. The visit, which took place between September 14 and 17 in Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros, concluded with the definition of five cooperation priorities to strengthen the health response.
The mission was part of PAHO's Disease Elimination Initiative and aligned with the global roadmap to defeat meningitis by 2030. According to the regional organization, national and international specialists evaluated the care pathway from the identification of a suspected case to laboratory confirmation, treatment, notification, and the use of information to guide public health decisions.
PAHO carried out the work in coordination with the Ministry of Health of the Dominican Republic and included technical meetings, visits to health services in Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros, as well as a review at the National Reference Laboratory.
In the hospitals, the teams analyzed the early identification of signs and symptoms, the collection and processing of samples, the timely initiation of treatments, and the communication of results. They also evaluated infection prevention and control measures, case notification, and the follow-up of possible sequelae during hospitalization and after discharge.
The laboratory area examined the methods for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. / (PAHO)
PAHO indicated that the work sought to connect the clinical response with the epidemiological and laboratory surveillance systems. To this end, professionals from nursing, epidemiology, laboratories, and care services participated.
At the primary care level, the review focused on the capacity to detect initial cases, refer them without delays, and ensure the flow of information between health facilities and the teams responsible for surveillance. The coordination between the first consultation, specialized care, and the public health response was one of the axes of the visit.
The laboratory component examined the procedures to confirm and identify the bacteria associated with the disease, characterize them, and establish their susceptibility to antimicrobials. This information makes it possible to adjust patient care and to know which agents are circulating in the country.
The assessment highlighted the participation of clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory teams, along with the mandatory notification of meningitis cases and active case-finding in hospitals. It also noted the capacities of reference facilities to perform cultures, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and the functioning of the National Reference Laboratory.
The official assessment highlighted the existence of mandatory case notification and active case-finding in hospital centers. / (PAHO)
Among the points identified is also the availability of information systems to link epidemiological data with laboratory results.
The joint review made it possible to organize the findings and establish five lines of work for the coming months. The priorities defined cover national coordination and the updating of protocols; the strengthening of the diagnostic network and sample referral; data integration to support decision-making; the quality and characterization of bacterial agents; and clinical care with follow-up of affected individuals.
PAHO noted that these actions will serve as the basis for structuring technical cooperation in short- and medium-term stages. The objective will be to standardize procedures, expand the capacities of health personnel, and improve the use of available information.
The mission concluded with the commitment to maintain support for the Dominican Republic within the regional initiative. The organization seeks to articulate early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiological surveillance to reduce the impact of bacterial meningitis and advance toward the goals set for 2030.