Santo Domingo, DR – The over-demand for medicines, especially analgesics and anti-influenza drugs, which have been recorded in the country in recent weeks, has impacted private establishments and the People’s Pharmacies. As a result, their directors informed that they are carrying out purchasing processes to strengthen the inventory of medicines available for flu-related illnesses.
The purchase of medicines to face flu and respiratory symptoms and the demand for PCR and antigen tests have registered a high increase in the country due to the great number of people affected in the last weeks by respiratory infections, most of them caused by the omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus, which has been circulating in the country for several weeks, together with influenza, among other viruses.
Yesterday, the director of the Essential Medicines Program and Central Logistics Support (Promese/Cal), Adolfo Perez, informed that he has been in permanent coordination with the Ministry of Public Health and the National Health Service (SNS) to meet the demand for antigen tests, PCR and medicines to treat patients affected by Covid-19 and the new Omicron variant.
He assured that since last year they have been strengthening the inventories of drugs and medical supplies and purchasing high-cost drugs to treat Covid-19 such as Tocilizumab, Remdesivir, and Casirivimab & Imdevimab (Regen Cov).
Over 950,000 Covid tests
Promese authorities informed that they acquired reagents and laboratory supplies to detect and follow-up the Covid-19 virus. Currently, the National Laboratory has more than 950,000 tests in its inventory.
They made a purchase.
He informed that they received a purchase requirement from the SNS to treat patients who present symptoms of respiratory diseases in the network of public hospitals.
“Despite all these purchasing processes, we remain attentive to the evolution of respiratory diseases in the country in order to give a prompt response to any emergency situation that may arise,” said Perez.
