Almost two weeks after two new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were detected in Itabac, Region Eight, health officials are yet to go into the indigenous community to commence requisite contact tracing and quarantining in keeping with established Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) protocols.
In fact, according to Michael McGarrell, a resident of Region Eight, neither of the two COVID-19 positive persons is in isolation and one of them, a health worker, is still going to work.
Itabac is an indigenous community in the Potaro-Siparuni region, located on the Guyana/Brazil border. During an interview with Stabroek News yesterday, McGarrell revealed that the first COVID-19 case in the region was someone who had travelled from the Moruca sub-district in Region One, while the two new cases were from Itabac. The two had no connection to the first case.
McGarrell noted that those two cases were detected because health personnel had been conducting screening and testing at Monkey Mountain after reports were made that someone who had tested positive for the disease in the Rupununi had travelled through the community. After the health team concluded their exercise at Monkey Mountain, they traversed to Itabac to do same and when samples were tested, it was revealed that two persons from Itabac were positive.
He added that the two persons were informed of their results via radio but were given no instructions to isolate themselves and so they have continued with their lives as per normal.
McGarrell noted that it has been almost two weeks since those persons were informed of their results and health officials are yet to travel to the community to conduct contact tracing, identify individuals who may have to be quarantined and isolate the two infected persons. He noted that he asked regional officials why those protocols have not been done and he was bluntly told that they have no resources so now he is wondering what is to become of the residents of Itabac and other communities.
“It’s been weeks and nothing has happened. What is the Regional Health Authority doing about it? What is the role of the National (COVID-19) Task Force? Do they have any role to play with what is happening in Region Eight? Is Region Eight out of Guyana? Are you considering what may be happening out there? Apparently not. If we could’ve done the testing by ourselves we would’ve done it but we can’t. We don’t have the necessary equipment…… I don’t think the task force and regional health authorities understand the seriousness of what can happen in Region Eight and I believe it can have more devastating effects because of patients not [being] isolated. Getting there is difficult but we also know to get there. The regional health authorities are aware of this route so what is preventing this now?” McGarrell asked during a video that he posted on Facebook to highlight the situation.
He also revealed that one of the patients in Itabac is a health worker, who continues to go to work every day, thereby putting others at risk by doing so.
“This should not have been happening but it is happening. Why is it happening? And yes we would want to blame the community members, we would want to blame the individuals who are doing it but we also need to push blame to the regional authority, which I believe [has] not been doing enough to ensure that people understand the seriousness of this,” he added.
McGarrell explained that the two cases in Itabac were imported from Brazil considering that the community is located very close to other communities on the Brazilian side, which have recorded multiple cases of COVID-19. He noted that another vulnerable community is Kanapang, which is close to Itabac.
Back and forth
He explained that persons living in those communities are dependent on food supplies from Brazil because it is easier for them to travel there than Mahdia or any other town in Guyana. Hence, it is no secret that persons have been traversing back and forth between those villages and Brazil.
Further, he stated that many persons living in those areas are Brazilian citizens and speak Macushi, Portuguese and English. Given their citizenship status, many would go over to access social services in Brazil.
McGarrell stressed the need for mass testing to be done in the two communities, while adding, “I fear that when we are ready to do mass testing, we might have entire villages which may be infected.”
Given how the regional authorities are dealing with these two cases, he added, should there be an outbreak, they will not be able to cope.
“Don’t they [residents of Region Eight] have equal rights to access health services? What are we waiting for? Are we waiting for another explosion of cases and are we waiting for people to be decimated? Don’t we have resources to go out there to do testing? What are we waiting for?” he asked.
He disclosed that there might also be a suspected case in Monkey Mountain.
McGarrell stressed that the situation in Region Eight is similar to the situation in Region Nine because both regions share borders with Brazil. However, not much emphasis have been placed on Region Eight and that says a lot on the part of regional authorities.
McGarrell also noted that the residents from various communities have also been approaching the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) and asking for assistance and the APA has been assisting in that regard but it is not enough. He said in addition to providing food hampers, the APA has been conducting a public awareness campaign.
“If the regional authorities are not doing it, I’m calling on the MoPH and National Task Force to get teams into the villages of Itabac and Kanapang so that we can have access to services so that people can be tested so that we can know what is happening. It is your responsibility. If you don’t have adequate resources, we are willing to help you to get to those communities and do as much as we can do. I am pleading with the National Task Force, I am pleading with the regional health authorities, do your part. Ensure that you go out there so we can start isolating patients. Our people are desperate,” he added.
When Stabroek News contacted the Regional Executive Officer Mitzy Campbell regarding the COVID-19 situation within the region and she stated that she would have to get permission from the MoPH to speak as she was instructed not to reveal such information.
