The Regional Minister of Health, Manuela García, participated yesterday in the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System convened by the Ministry of Health. During her speech, the Councilor called for the need for an action protocol that determines the health measures to be taken by each Autonomous Community depending on the epidemiological situation of each one of them.

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The Regional Minister of Health

Garcia stressed the importance of basing decisions on the specific epidemiological data of each Autonomous Community. The consellera has highlighted that, as of today, the Balearic Islands have the lowest incidence rate of respiratory viruses in the whole national territory and similar to the same period of the respiratory virus season 2022/2023.

In the last week of the year, week 52, the overall rate of acute respiratory infections in Primary Care (ARI) is 271.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure far from the overall national rate that increases to the average of 952.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and that in some Communities (such as the Valencian Community), scales up to 1,501.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

As for the incidence of influenza at the national level, the rate reaches 438.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while in the Balearic Islands, the incidence remains at 60.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, thus being the lowest rate of the entire national territory at this time. This is a similar incidence to the same period in 2022 when the rate was 60.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. These figures are evidence of the particular and differentiated circumstances of each Autonomous Community.

The Minister of Health has rejected that the Balearic Islands are currently experiencing a situation of healthcare collapse. “Right now we have the usual situation that is experienced in the Balearic Islands every season during the period of circulation of respiratory viruses; the rates are similar, so there is no reason for alarm”. He recalled that each hospital on the islands has its own Containment Plan that will be activated according to real needs.

Stock of masks

Regarding the stock of face masks, the Regional Minister of Health assured that the Balearic health centres have a guaranteed stock of surgical masks and FFP2, and that at no time has there been a shortage on the part of the suppliers.

Regarding the oxygenation masks, there has not been any shortage either and the necessary stock is available to be able to guarantee the treatment to all the patients who need it.

Given these epidemiological data, the consellera pointed out that the situation in the Balearic Islands does not require the obligatory use of masks right now and stressed that prevention is the best tool to avoid contagion. For this reason, García reminded the importance of getting vaccinated, washing hands, using single-use tissues and using a mask if you have symptoms.

Health education and vaccination

These are the issues that have focused the intervention of the Regional Minister of Health during the interterritorial meeting, who has urged the Minister to promote health education campaigns that address issues such as education in the prevention of respiratory infections or the importance of vaccination among the population.

In this sense, she recalled the importance of vaccinating children against both influenza and RSV. In this sense, the Balearic Islands will open next Wednesday the vaccination without a previous appointment in the health centres.

Self-employment leave

About the proposal of the three-day medical autobajas launched by the Ministry of Health, Councilor Manuela García stated that the Balearic Islands are already working on the debureaucratization of sick leave, but always understood as medical acts and not as voluntary declarations, as has been proposed by the Ministry.

The document, which should have been approved today during the Interterritorial meeting, was presented once the meeting had already begun, which has prevented its review by the regional representatives. The Regional Minister of Health, Manuela García, as well as the other regional representatives, expressed the need for time to be able to study it and present the allegations so that finally 48 hours was given for its review, the presentation of allegations and its approval.