Skopje, 12 April 2024 (MIA) – A total of 410 whooping cough cases have been registered since the beginning of the year, including six cases, mainly newborns, who were hospitalized at the Children’s Clinic, Valentina Cvejkoska Cholakovska, director of the Children’s Clinic in Skopje, told a press briefing Friday.

The director noted that cases have been registered in other towns in the country even though health authorities have declared a whooping cough epidemic in Skopje and Kumanovo. 

Cvejkoska Cholakovska said that pertussis vaccination is at a satisfactory level adding that a long time has passed since someone has been admitted with the whooping cough for treatment at the hospital. 

“Cases of children with allergy-like symptoms are dominating at the moment amid the period of allergies. We’ve never had such allergies. It is believed that by the middle of this century, one in two children will have some kind of allergy not only in the country but also elsewhere in the world,” the doctor noted adding it is the result of air pollution and diet among other things. 

On the treatment of people with the rare diseases cystic fibrosis with trikafta, the director said the procedure for the procurement of the medication was completed last week after a public tender administered in March. 

“We expect the medication to arrive this month and it will be available for everyone over 12,” said Cvejoska Cholakovska. 

Answering a journalist question, the director said children under 12 were registered to receive trikafta.

“The tender for the medication has been concluded for the end of the year. There are 67 patients over 12 who can take this medication,” she said adding that all cystic fibrosis patients will be given the medicine. 

At the press briefing, doctor Cvejoska Cholakovska said efforts are constantly being made to improve the conditions for the patients receiving treatment at the clinic.

“At the moment, there’s no deficit of doctors, but we still need nurses although we hired 14 nurses before the start of the election campaign. We plan on continuing on hiring more staff after the elections,” she said. 

Photo: MIA