Brasília, July 1, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Today, specialists from Brazil and other countries, such as Malasia, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Peru, begin an international seminar to discuss the prevention and control of dengue fever. At the meeting, which runs through Thursday, the specialists will analyze successful experiences in control of the disease in their respective countries, including the Brazilian program.

In just the first four months of this year, the Secretariat of Health Surveillance registered over 192 thousand cases of dengue in the country. Despite this high figure, it already represents a 70.44% reduction of cases compared with the same period last year. "We are bringing together national and international experiences that will be included in the National Program to Combat Dengue.

The program is already a year old, and it will be transformed by the Ministry of Health into a permanent program for control of the disease," affirmed the secretary of Health Surveillance, Jarbas Barbosa Silva Junior. (DAS)