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Surveillance team set for Carifesta X – CMO
— Yellow fever detection high on agenda
The services of a vigilant medical surveillance team will soon be set into motion by the Ministry of Health in order to address any health issues which may arise during Guyana’s hosting of Carifesta X in a few weeks’ time.
This disclosure was made yesterday by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who related to Kaieteur News that earnest measures are already being put in place to ensure that a well qualified team is prepared to monitor cases during the 10-day event (August 22 – August 31).
But while the crucial monitoring process has been set-up to prevent any outbreaks during the event, Dr Persaud said that this can only be effectively done if there is close monitoring prior, during and after the event.
Efforts are geared at intensifying surveillance measures at least one week ahead of the event.
According to the CMO, the process will see the collaboration of both public and private health facilities, as well as those of private doctors who have already indicated their intent to support the venture.
Among the public facilities that will be directly involved are the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, the New Amsterdam Hospital, Suddie, Linden, and the West Demerara Regional Hospitals.
Dr Persaud further noted that the Diamond Diagnostic Centre is also being closely examined to determine whether it will be a feasible monitoring venue as well.
He explained that the process will be characteristic of the health facilities providing information to the Health Ministry on common syndromes, flu like signs and symptoms, fever with rash, bleeding, gastroenteritis, food borne diseases and other infectious diseases’ symptoms.
It is anticipated that reports of the medical situation will be forwarded to the ministry on a daily basis, with a view of effective speedy actions, he added.
And should any signs or symptoms of any infectious disease be detected, the CMO said, the services of the recently commissioned National Health Institute, located in the Georgetown Public Hospital Compound, will come into play.
He said that at the moment Guyana is capable of testing water, food particulars and other materials, but noted that all other tests that cannot be done here will be transferred to the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) in Trinidad.
Currently, Dr Persaud revealed, the ministry has been relying on its surveillance team, which provides weekly information on the various types of cases that have arisen countrywide.
He disclosed that the team had sustained the monitoring process which was introduced for Cricket World Cup in 2006.
And, according to him, the monitoring during that period was successful, although there was no detection of an outbreak.
However, this time around, he related, the monitoring will be much closer, given the fact that there have been outbreaks of yellow fever in some parts of the world in recent times.
As such, the ministry has also put in place measures to monitor the various ports of entry, which he noted is part of the Health Ministry’s New International Strengthening Strategic Plan.
Also complementing the medical surveillance team will be inspectorates of the Food and Drug Department and the Public Health Department of the ministry, which according to Dr Persaud will also be very vigilant during Carifesta X.
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