Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional
Unida Nicaragua Triunfa
NICARAGUAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH AT THE 73RD WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
18 AND 19 MAY, 2020
Good morning Mr. President, Dear Representatives and Delegates to this 73rd World Health Assembly.
Receive a warm greeting from the People and Government of Nicaragua, as we continue to make progress in building a society in Peace and Reconciliation, with Work and Unity, permanently restoring the Rights of Nicaraguan families and, as always, prioritizing health.
Nicaragua, protected by the sovereign right to make its decisions, has developed a strategy to confront the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the state of health of our population, established measures aimed at protecting Nicaraguan families, with the objective of preventing a greater impact in terms of morbidity and mortality at the national level.
Since the declaration of COVID 19 as a public health emergency of international importance on January 30, our country established an Inter-institutional Commission to ensure a comprehensive approach to this situation.
We prepared a COVID-19 Protocol for Prevention and Containment with the assistance of PAHO Nicaragua, to ensure surveillance, early detection of suspected and confirmed cases, guarantee diagnosis, medical care and reduce complications, in order to reduce mortality in seriously ill patients.
Preventive measures were established to reduce transmission based on the behavior of COVID-19 in the country and a permanent communication plan was implemented, aimed at the population, health workers, travelers and the media.
During this period surveillance has been strengthened at points of entry into the country, at health units and through the community network. Public and private health personnel have been trained in issues related to COVID-19 and supplies and equipment required to ensure the care and protection of health personnel has been guaranteed, in a market with high demand and high costs.
To the date:
We have 19 hospitals for COVID-19 and primary care units have been prepared to deal with respiratory symptoms nationwide.
Attention and follow-up of reported COVID-19 cases and contacts has been ensured.
42,236 travelers who have entered the country have been followed up, remaining under responsible and careful safekeeping for 21 days.
3,751,000 house-to-house visits have been made nationwide, addressing preventive measures to promote health in the family, at home, and in the community.
The Nicaraguan Health Model specifies the principles of gratuitousness, universality, solidarity and equity in the provision of health care.
For this reason, since the beginning of the pandemic, we have continued to guarantee attention in health programs to our population, providing to date 1,145,613 consultations, applying 2,067,111 doses of vaccines, 1,112,483 doses of Vitamin A and 1,573,519 doses of antiparasitic drugs during the National Vaccination Campaign, measuring the height and weight of 1,386,351 boys and girls during the 2020 nutritional census, 156,195 homes have been visited in the National Life and Health Census, 2,664 Health Fairs have been celebrated, in addition to the mobilization of Mobile Clinics to serve 5,042 Communities.
On the other hand, we have continued to reduce maternal mortality through a Maternity Homes strategy, and we serve families with members who attend houses for people with special needs. We cannot fail to mention the care provided to thousands of persons with cancer whom are part of the oncology program; to nearly 6,000 Nicaraguans with Chronic Kidney Failure that are cared for under the hemodialysis program and the thousands of adults and the elderly who are followed-up and receive treatment through the Chronic Diseases program.
The “EVERYONE WITH A VOICE” Program is particularly important, to which more than 120,000 persons with different disabilities are integrated, whose capacity and mobility have been restored and who also are provided with food security.
It is important to note that at the same time that we intensify our national efforts to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, our Government of Reconciliation and National Unity has continued and expanded the programs and plans to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially, in the eradication of poverty, health and vaccination against other diseases, education, gender equality, the access to energy for the entire population, environmental campaigns and actions to face climate change, among others.
Mr. President:
We demand that health not be used by any power or organization, to exercise political and economic pressure on our country.
It is unacceptable that while we speak of the unity of the countries in the fight against the pandemic, there are those who speak of sanctions against countries that fight to maintain our sovereignty and respect for the decisions of our peoples, as is the case of Nicaragua.
We advocate for the inclusion of Taiwan as a Member State of the World Health Assembly.
In light of this 73rd WHA, we ask the Presidency, in light of the global demand for critical supplies to face COVID-19, to review the principles for equitable access to the countries of the Region of the Americas.
By adopting the 2030 Agenda, at the United Nations we are committed to advance towards a more equitable and just society, to close the gap within and between nations, especially to be inclusive and universal, not leaving anyone behind!
Thank you very much.