Costa Rica´s Health Director-General Dr. Melissa Ramírez said this program is supported and developed by the Health Ministry in conjunction with the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

Ramírez stated that 726 houses in the communities of Finca 12, PCC, Medio Queso, Coquital and San Gerardo, in Los Chiles were visited, and handed over 9,136 chloroquine doses. She explained the treatment consists of two to three full cycles, with a four-week period between each dose administered orally and in a supervised manner.

With this, Ramírez emphasized, we seek to wipe out malaria transmission, since there are no infected hosts (people), the vector (mosquito) does not have the capacity to transfer the disease, thus helping to stop the sustained malaria outbreak since 2022 in the Northern Zone of the country.

Ramirez called on inhabitants to go to health centers in case of any symptoms including intermittent fever, chills, abdominal, head and muscle pains, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, rapid breathing, tachycardia and cough.

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