HEALTH MINISTER Dr. Leslie Ramsammy says Guyana’s current incidence of malaria is cause for concern.
The Ministry of Health had established a goal of reducing malaria from more than 40,000 cases per year by 2000 to less than 8,000 cases by 2012. Significant progress was made to attain this goal and by 2008, the malaria incidence was less than 12,000 cases.
However, in 2009, there has been no further reduction in the malaria cases in Guyana.
“At the present rate, we might record a reversal and show an increase in malaria cases for 2010,” Ramsammy said in a statement to the media.
He noted that the Ministry of Health is working with the hinterland regions to ensure an aggressive fight against malaria to prevent an increase in cases for 2010.
He said, “If we are to achieve our objective, we will have to ensure a significant reduction of malaria cases in the last four months of 2010.”
The Health Minister added that Health Ministry is in close contact with the Regions and a number of teams will be sent to various hinterland areas to provide support.
Ramsammy said as of Monday Last , the Ministry deployed 11 teams to Regions One (Barima/ Waini), Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro/ Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara/ Berbice).
These teams are expected to provide support to the local health workers.
The teams will initially work in the following areas:
o Region One: Matthews Ridge, Port Kaituma and Arakaka;
o Region Two:  Pomeroon River;
o Region Seven:  Upper Mazaruni  and Middle Mazaruni, Puruni Localities, Oko, Arimu, Aranka, Arangai and  Quartzs Stone, Tiger Creek, Mariwa;
o Region Eight: Mahdia and Tumatumari, Mahdia Associated Localities, Tumatumari to Konwaruk;
o Region Nine: North Rupununi and South Rupununi; and
o Region 10:  Mabura Localities.
“The teams will assist the local authorities to conduct mass screening (MBS) in an active strategy to identify malaria cases in its early stages, preventing any further transmission from infected persons. In addition, we will actively seek out fever cases and test these persons for malaria ,” Ramsammy said.
He added that the Ministry of Health has ensured that enough medicines are in the system and another 5,000 long lasting insecticide impregnated mosquito nets (LLINS) are to be distributed.
The Health Minister said, “We are moving towards a daily reporting of fever and malaria cases from 40 communities where the most malaria cases are coming from. The other sites will still report on a weekly basis.”
Additionally, Malaria Community Councils which have been working in these areas are being asked to assist the local authorities in ensuring people are making more efforts to help in preventing transmission of malaria in their communities.
To assist this effort, Ramsammy said the Ministry is sending more posters and pamphlets to the communities for use by church organizations, employers and the schools.
The Health Minister noted that during the next week, the Ministry will again be meeting with various stakeholder groups, including GGMC and the Forestry Commission.
“We want to assure everyone that the Ministry of Health will do everything so that we do not lose the gains we have made in the fight against malaria. We are determined not to fail in our quest to reduce malaria to an insignificant public health problem in Guyana by 2015…we do not intend to fail in reducing the number of cases to below 8,000 by 2012,” he said.