The Health Ministry on Thursday emphasised that malaria remained a “serious public health threat” and that moves are being made to win support from the “grassroots” and experts to battle the mosquito-borne disease, especially in the interior mining districts.
“Malaria remains a serious public health threat… the Ministry of Health has been working on this presumption for some time now and this conference is part of that recognition,” said Minster of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran, who announced that a Director of National Malaria Control Services and four doctors would be appointed to complement programmes and efforts to fight the disease.
He was at the time addressing the National Malaria Conference that was held on Thursday at the Princess Hotel, under the theme, “Malaria and the National Agenda – Recalibrating Our Response: Emerging Challenges, Networking and New Initiatives.”
The conference sought to expand the national conversation on malaria in Guyana and to readjust its response to emerging challenges given the rapid changes in the environment.
A surge of persons into the interior in search of gold has contributed to the rise in malaria cases both there and on the coastland. It was pointed out that 85% of malaria cases come from the mining population and people associated with mining.
Although the ministry had forecast a 15% to 18% reduction in the number of malaria cases by the end of last year, as compared with the previous year, it has observed that over the past four years the number of persons engaged in the gold mining sector in the affected malaria endemic areas – like regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 – has significantly increased from 20,000 to about 130,000.
Latest available figures show that there has been an increase in the number of reported cases in interior mining areas between 2010 and 2012. The community of Mahdia, in Region 8, had at least 3,000 cases last year, followed by Puruni with1,400 cases. High numbers were also reported in Aranka, Arimu, Issano, Konawaruk, Marudi Mountain and Aishalton.
“With the changes in our global picture and global economy, we saw a lot more people moving into hinterland areas and now an upsurge again… regions 1, 7, 8, and part of regions 9, 10, 2 and 3, where malaria is highly endemic,” said Chief Medical Officer and conference chairman Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who gave an overview of the disease.
Representatives and attendees from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), World Health Organisation (WHO), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Ministry of Education, Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), among others, saw presentations by doctors who work with the ministry in its fight towards the eradication of the disease.
In his presentation, PAHO regional director on malaria Dr Keith Carter urged Guyanese who are treated for malaria to complete their medication doses, as that is one major cause for relapse and not the myth that malaria always remained in your body once contracted. “One of the myths is that we can never get rid of malaria but you can do so if you take the complete treatment,” he said.
What was noted as customary among a lot of patients and what contributes to relapse and emergence of the resistant malaria is the fact that most persons after feeling well do not complete their doses. To this end, Carter stressed community and Ministry of Health sensitisation outreaches as well as sharing of knowledge from one individual to the other.
Further, he informed that in addition to massive sensitisation to aptly fight the disease, there must be provision of sufficient financial as well as human resources, such as microscopists and maliriologists. The malaria specialist also explained that when the areas where the disease is are identified, there should be adequate medication to deal with the issue. “If the drugs are in Georgetown and not in the interior, it makes no sense,” he said. Storing of drugs using prescribed directions was also pointed out.
When Stabroek News spoke with attendees at the event, 18-year-old Moruca resident Clevoy Daniels informed that he was currently undergoing treatment for the disease at the Georgetown Hospital and welcomed the conference as he could share his knowledge with his family members and community. Daniels said that in his village many persons are sickened with malaria and that he had lost an uncle only in September last year to the disease. He said his uncle was one of the persons who did not complete his medicinal dosages and felt that this point needed to be stressed more when there are outreaches.
However, Alexander Salvador of Surama felt that miners needed to be sensitised on keeping their areas clean, so as to prevent infestation of mosquitoes that carry the disease. “We don’t have a lot of cases of malaria because there isn’t mining in Surama, where people leave places with stagnant water for mosquitoes to breed. We try to keep our community clean and maybe that is what helps,” he explained.
The ministry promises to distribute of over 50,000 Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs)—nets treated in the factory with an insecticide incorporated into the fabric which makes the insecticide last at least 20 washes in standard laboratory testing or five years—to regions where the disease is most prevalent.
