Havana, Cuba.- Our major technology to fight off denguenowadays is knowledge, according to Dr. Osvaldo Castro, specialist at Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK).

“There is no medicine, no miracle drug or vaccine that can help us prevent or treat dengue,” Castro said, while assuring death from this disease can be avoided.

Castro considered it is critical that medical and nursing personnel must be trained and qualified in clinical management.

Educating the population is pivotal, not only in vector control, but also in guaranteeing the Cuban family has basic knowledge of symptoms and warning signs, he said.

These can be decisive in providing timely treatment and, as a result, they should go to health services promptly, Castro added.

“A dengue-infected patient´s life is not saved in ICUs, where too complicated patients are admitted only; dengue patients are saved from the first few days,” the IPK expert emphasized.

Primary and secondary healthcare services play an important role, Castro said.

It is necessary to classify the cases based on symptoms and signs, including alarm signs, as well as to have healthcare guidelines and flowcharts.