Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Aug 08, 2011 News
In Guyana, 90 percent of the 11,828 persons tested positive for malaria for the first half of 2011 are from Regions One, Seven and Eight, says Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy. Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite called Plasmodium.
According to the Minister, the Regions with the most malaria cases are: Region Seven with 35 percent; Region Eight with 30 percent; and Region One with 25 percent.
Dr. Ramsammy emphasized that the spread of malaria is related to people’s activities. Persons living and working in the mining communities are more at risk to malaria than those living on the Coastland. He stressed that the residents of those communities have to increase their usage of bed nets.
The Guyana Geologies and Mines Commission (GGMC) has been collaborating with the Ministry in educating miners about malaria and other diseases, and ensuring they observe health tips such as utilizing bed nets and keeping their environments clean.
He added that some mining entities have come onboard with the Ministry to prevent the spread of malaria as they recognize the effects of this problem.
Dr. Ramsammy asserted that Guyana has the potential to eliminate malaria but for this to happen people must adapt certain lifestyle.
He explained that persons must desist from self medication emphasizing that if someone who lives in one of those areas (Regions One, Seven, and Eight) and gets a high fever, he or she should go to a health worker for medical attention.
Dr. Ramsammy stated that, “In Guyana we just don’t treat a person for malaria because of a fever. The person is tested to make a definitive diagnosis.”
Last year, at the same time span, a total of 111,000 tests were conducted. According to the Minister, that indicates that 20,000 less persons visited healthy facilities this year with fever that would have potentially been malaria. This would be consistent with a drop of incidence of malaria in the country.
It was stated that, “At the end of the epidemiological week 26, 11,828 positive cases of malaria were identified as compared to 13,000 in 2010 at the end of 26 epidemiological weeks.” This, he stressed demonstrates a 10 percent drop in malaria cases.
There are four different types of malaria in Guyana: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malaria, and mix.
Dr. Ramsammy stated that 53 percent of the malaria cases in Guyana are of the most serious form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum.
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THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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Jimmy Carter has a foundation that gives out mosquito nets soaked in insecticide to people in Africa. Cant the government look into how Guyana can get some of those nets. As soon as the insects light on the net it kills them I read. Why cant we get dome of those for these poor people?