A total of 410 cases of whooping cough have been reported since the beginning of the year. Six of these cases, primarily involving newborns, required hospitalization at the Children’s Clinic. The director of the Children’s Clinic, Valentina Cvejkoska Cholakovska, shared this information during a press briefing on Friday.

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

Cvejkoska Cholakovska stated that the level of pertussis vaccination is satisfactory and noted that it has been a long time since the hospital admitted a patient with whooping cough for treatment.

“Currently, we are seeing an increase in children with allergy-like symptoms amid the allergy season. We’ve never seen allergies at this level before. It is expected that by the middle of this century, one in two children will have some form of allergy, both in our country and globally,” she said, attributing the rise in allergies to air pollution and dietary factors, among other causes.

Regarding the treatment of cystic fibrosis with the medication trikafta, the director announced that the procurement process was completed last week following a public tender held in March.

“We expect the medication to arrive this month, and it will be available for everyone over the age of 12,” stated Cvejkoska Cholakovska.

In response to a journalist’s question, the director noted that children under 12 were registered to receive trikafta.

“The tender for the medication has been set 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 provided with the medicine.

During the press briefing, Dr. Cvejkoska Cholakovska emphasized ongoing efforts to improve conditions for patients receiving treatment at the clinic.

“Currently, we do not have a shortage of doctors, but there is a need for more nurses, despite hiring 14 nurses before the start of the election campaign. We plan to continue hiring more staff after the elections,” she concluded.