HEALTH Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy met with private sector stakeholders to address curbing the incidences of malaria and he said the response was a positive one.
In an invited comment, Ramsammy noted that the meeting involved the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Barama Company Limited and Iwokrama International Centre.
“They are willing to assist us in the malaria fight,” he said.
The Health Minister pointed out that coming out of the meeting were agreements to have these organizations work with their people to ensure that they take the necessary precautions and use the requisite medications; also to have them assist with the bed nets programme, where the Ministry procures the nets and the company pays for it; and to work together on training.
Ramsammy noted that the commitment to assisting the malaria fight is encouraging.
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 reduced to less than 12,000 cases. In 2009, however, there were no further reductions in the malaria cases in Guyana.