Latest update March 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 26, 2009 News
As a result of the Health Ministry’s robust Immunisation Programme, Guyana is slated to receive an award for excellence in its vaccination and immunisation coverage.
This is according to Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who noted that Guyana has been chosen once again for the award by the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI).
The award is expected to be handed over to Guyana on November 19th, at the GAVI partners meeting which is to be held in Vietnam.
At the meeting, partners usually get together occasionally to discuss how they could help countries in improving its immunisation coverage.
In this regard, Minister Ramsammy expressed his satisfaction that Guyana’s work is being recognised internationally.
“Those are the kind of efforts for which we are being acknowledged that will ensure that the H1N1 vaccination will soon reach all Guyanese.”
In November 2006, Guyana received the Henry C. Smith Award, which the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) granted to the Health Ministry for outstanding vaccination coverage and surveillance systems.
Henry C. Smith, a Belizean and pioneer in the immunisation programme in the Caribbean, has dedicated more than 18 years of service to this area.
Guyana’s immunisation programme is ranked as the most important public health intervention and Guyana is among few countries to have achieved this.
The programme has been in existence since 1995 and has made significant strides in the eradication of polio, yellow fever and measles. Guyana was granted polio free status by PAHO/WHO in 1994.
In 2004, Guyana initiated the Rotavirus Surveillance Programme at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to analyze the magnitude of the disease among children under five years.
Additionally, it has seen a 90 percent vaccination rate among children under one year.
The programme also benefited from the contributions of Global Alliance on Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI).
GAVI introduced a special vaccine for Hepatitis B, Haemophilus Influenza, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Whooping Cough and Tetanus.
Over the years, Guyana has constantly been building its vaccination stockpile and now has vaccines for all types of diseases. These include Hepatitis A and B, Influenza, Measles, Whooping Cough, Polio, Tetanus, and Chicken Pox.
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