The Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign to make Guyana filaria-free is underway, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).
The campaign began with the hosting of the first regional MDA meeting for 2020 in Linden.
According to Dr Jean Alexandre, PAHO’s Adviser, Health Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control, Region 10 was the most challenging in 2019. It was stated that while the 2019 campaign attained 68 percent coverage in that area, it was the lowest compared to other regions that achieved between 72 percent to 90 percent coverage.
Dr Alexandre explained, according to DPI, that main contributing factors were that the Upper Demerara-Berbice region was the last to be targeted and this followed reports in certain sections of the media, that there was at least one fatality following the pill distribution.
“Those allegations that the pills were killing people…would have influenced negatively people, so there were a number of refusals here, in Region 10,” Dr. Alexandre stated. A post-mortem on the victim later showed this was far from the case.
Dr Alexandre called for more responsible reporting surrounding the MDA campaign in 2020. To ensure a more effective countrywide campaign in 2020 there will be more training with the pill distributors to ensure they are capable of public education and sensitisation, while in the fields.
DPI said that during the meeting field officers discussed the various mechanism that should be adopted in the 2020 campaign, including working more suitable hours to meet the target audience, more sensitization efforts and timely delivery of pills to field distributors amongst others.
Dr. Alexandre was optimistic that better results will be achieved from the 2020 MDA, which is set for October.
