When the cases of monkey pox arrived in Spain as isolated cases, the Infectious Diseases Service of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital cared for all these patients who came from endemic areas in order to offer them a effective treatment for this infection.
This service treats all types of infectious diseases, such as HIV. However, this service has a subservice specialized in imported infectious diseases of tropical originas the malariathe dengue or care for those patients who have autochthonous parasites: the Tropical Medicine Unit.
Imported tropical diseases are defined as those acquired outside our borders and imported into our country. In other words, tropical diseases that they do not exist or are not very prevalent in Spain.
Infections affect humans by causing very different processes that can be located in any tissue of the human body, which is why they require a specific approach that is integrated with other specialties.
According to him Ministry of Healththe global mobility of a person has grown 1,000 times on average in the last two centuries. Currently in Spain, a 12.2% of the population (5.7 million people) is of foreign origin, including around 750,000 children under 15 years of age. More than half come from Africa, Latin America and Asia.
On the other hand, in recent years the number of travelers to international destinations has increased progressively in our country, amounting to about 13 million a yearof which approximately 1 million go to tropical or subtropical areas.
In this way, infections affect the human being causing processes very different that can be located in any tissue of the human bodyTherefore, they require a specific approach that is integrated with other specialties.
In recent years, the number of travelers to international destinations has increased progressively in our country, amounting to about 13 million a year, of which approximately 1 million go to tropical or subtropical areas
For this reason, this service is one of the most complex and necessary, since it responds to the health needs of the population and the demand for servicesguaranteeing accessibility, equity and quality in its use.
The Dr. Jose Antonio Perez Molinaa member of this unit, assures that “a high fever coming from the tropics, it is something important enough for a professional with experience in the tropics to attend to.” In this regard, the Tropical Medicine Unit of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital is the only one that has an infectious disease ward. For this reason, the expert explains that “if you have a health problem of an infectious nature, and especially if you come from outside Europe, there will always be a professional to help you. when the activity is urgent”.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH
From the Tropical Diseases Unit, they explain that they normally treat people from African or South American origin. For this reason, this area is not only specialized in diagnosis and treatment of these pathologies.
It is true that migration has increased over the years, and represents a powerful source of stress relating them to problems mental health in the person who suffers.
“Some of the problems that we have to deal with, and every time most often it is mental health. People come who have migrated due to conflicts, persecutions, for the violation of their sexual or religious rights that have been abuses”, alleges Dr. Pérez.
“Most of the migrants are healthy people. It is not necessary to convey that the migrant population has health problems or come to be cured”
They also have a consulting cross-cultural psychologyas healthcare professionals are now more aware of the challenges they face in providing serving a culturally diverse population.
“Most migrants are healthy people. It is not necessary to convey that the migrant population has health problems or that they come to be cured. It is quite the opposite, because epidemiological studies show that they are young and healthy people.”
Because health we all need… ConSalud.es