Proactive approach being taken by Gov’t – President

A PROACTIVE approach to ensure the deadly Ebola virus does not affect the Guyanese population has been adopted by the Government of Guyana.

This was the assurance of President Donald Ramotar, in an address to the nation on Friday. “Here in Guyana we also have to take preventative and curative measures to protect our people. If, per chance, this disease reaches our shores we must be prepared to limit its effect to contain and bring it under control as fast as possible,” he said.
According to the Head of State, several measures have already been put in place to address this major public health concern. “We have already taken steps in that direction,” he said.
These include:
* The restriction on the issuance of visas to residents from a number of West African countries;
* The issuance of advisories to all Guyanese to avoid travelling to destinations those are under surveillance for Ebola, for the time being. In this case, in Guyanese have travelled to such destinations they are required to indicate so;
* The increased surveillance at ports of entry, as well as more thorough screened at these ports. In this regard, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Ogle Airport Authorities, the Ministries of Works and Health have been working closely to monitor the arriving passengers;
* The installation of modern equipment to raise the effectiveness of this exercise;
* The procurement of additional medical supplies, including more protective gear, gloves etc. to ensure that Guyana is prepared to deal with possible Ebola cases; and
* The identification of retention centres, to be used for quarantine and monitoring of suspected cases, among others.
“In the event of the discovery of suspected cases, the Public Health responses have been organised. Suspected arriving passengers will be quarantined at holding centres at Ports of Entry. Elsewhere, suspected persons, if hospitalized would be cared for under conditions of strict isolation. Larger population of suspected cases would be mandatorily quarantined at identified facilities established in the country,” the President said,

FULL COOPERATION
Mr. Ramotar also stressed the need for all Guyanese to work together to ensure that the nation’s public health is not compromised.
“This situation, I am sure you will appreciate, is one that calls for the full cooperation of the whole population of our country. I propose to seek maximum cooperation on this urgent matter,” he said.
To this end, the Head of State has also indicated that he will be formally inviting the Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger and the leaders of all Parliamentary Political Parties, as well as and civil society in a national response to the epidemic.
“(We need everyone) to join forces with the Government in a national response to prepare and protect our people from the deadly Ebola disease,” he stressed.
Additionally, Mr. Ramotar, in acknowledgement of the disease’s devastating impact on countries of West Africa, has committed Guyana to providing any support it can.
He said: “I wish on behalf of the Government and all Guyanese to extend our profound concern and solidarity with the governments and people of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, in particular, in West Africa, who are battling this deadly disease.
“The international community is only now in the process of providing assistance to combat this disease and to stop its spread. Guyana, in its own small way, has joined those efforts to muster resources to assist these countries in halting its spread.”
The President highlighted too that the disease has crossed continents, into Europe and the United States of America, however he also underscored that efforts are afoot locally to protect the Guyanese people.
“In the world that we live in today in which globalisation has spawned the most massive movement of people in history, no country is guaranteed that it would not be affected,” he said, but reiterated his assurance that steps are being taken by the Government to address this.