Successes will only come from partnerships with family
– Ramsammy
MINISTER of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said yesterday that, with more than   US$100 being invested per child every year, in Guyana’s immunisation programme, stakeholders in the sector must ensure that all children benefit. He issued the exhortation at the opening of the Ministry’s vaccination fair being held in East La Penitence Health Centre, Georgetown. It is one of several activities being undertaken in observance of Vaccination Week – April 25 to 30.
The fair features sensitisation and services that include the youth friendly type provided by the Adolescent Health Unit; Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT); Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT); Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) and for addressing chronic diseases.
In attendance were children from nearby schools, parents and residents of the surrounding community, who all saw a cultural presentation that portrayed health messages associated with the importance of vaccines.
The week long observances countrywide are themed ‘Vaccination Reaching Everyone in 2010 – It’s a Family Affair’.
Against that background, Ramsammy said success will only come from partnerships with parents and the family.
“We must do all we can for our children to make sure they grow up into healthy and productive adults. We can do so by guaranteeing them vaccines, guaranteeing them immunisation,” he urged.
Ramsammy said many people do not appreciate the importance of vaccines because they have not witnessed the deadly and disabling effects of diseases which could be prevented by being vaccinated.
He said, presently, this country’s immunisation programme boasts 15 types of vaccines, 13 of which are available to every child, the other two, which address influenza, including the H1N1 virus, are for priority groups.
Ramsammy declared that Guyana has done an excellent job with immunisation and noted that this week’s events are a celebration of the work that has been accomplished, due to the dedicated efforts of health workers across the country.
Making a comparison between 1990 and 2009, he pointed out that, back then, out of every 1,000 children, 100 died before they were five years old. But that number has now been reduced to fewer than 20 per 1,000.

DECREASED

Similarly, in every 10,000, 32 women died from child birth but, in 2009, that figure decreased to 10.
Ramsammy said the Government of Guyana is committed to extending immunisation and the scope will not be lessened regardless the financial constraints.
“In 1990, the Government decided that no vaccine which will save children shall be unavailable to them. We have made a commitment and we have put it in writing that immunisation must never be subjected to any measures. We will continue to grow this programme,” he maintained.
Ramsammy said Guyana has 50 years of experience when it comes to vaccines, a fact that has gained recognition through international acclaim.
“We will reach every child and no child will be left behind,” he pledged.
Ramsammy observed, though, that there are still children, not only in hinterland areas, but, unfortunately, urban and coastal areas who are still without vaccines.
Because of that, he appealed, once more, for stakeholders to work together to ensure that no child is left behind as there will never be complete success, unless every child is vaccinated.
“We must find every child where vaccines have not reached them and reach everyone everywhere. This is our commitment in this vaccination week,” Ramsammy reiterated.
He said, most of the time, his ministry accomplishes tasks successfully but he acknowledged that there are times when it falters.
Those times, Ramsammy admitted, are indicative that the Health Ministry needs help and he affirmed that it will not shy away from mobilising the needed assistance.
“We are not ashamed to face the Guyanese people and say we need help. We are not perfect but, by and large, we do an excellent job,” he insisted.
Ramsammy said the assistance will extend from only ensuring that each child accesses vaccines and involve the advancement of health messages, healthy eating, the need to be engaged in physical activity, no smoking and reduced alcohol abuse.

USEFUL

He asserted that, if stakeholders in the health sector are going to make vaccines useful, healthy lifestyles must be encouraged and promoted at all levels.
“The health revolution is on and we must be part of it as we strive for long, healthy, productive lives,” Ramsammy said.
Director of Maternal and Child Health, Dr. Janice Woolford, under whose purview the immunisation falls, noted that, more than ever, Guyanese need to be aware and that is why the focus for Vaccination Week is largely on public awareness.
“This observance is a regional initiative to strengthen the regular vaccination programmes for the identification of populations without access to immunisation,” she explained.
Woolford said the principles of Vaccination Week centre on equity and access and Guyana’s successes with immunisation have resulted in there being no cases of measles since the 1990s, yellow fever since 1968 and whopping cough for the last five years.
She said a countrywide campaign also targets adults who can access vaccines if they have never done so before.
“Every child and every adult must be vaccinated,” Woolford emphasised.
Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, who was also present at the function, said Vaccination Week advances the continuation of the immunisation programme, the Ministry’s flagship initiative.
The related activities include campaigns, mobile outreaches, visits to schools by health sector functionaries and awareness sessions.
Vaccination Week 2010 started at Bartica, in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), with a march and rally last Sunday.