BHRA officials join appeal to use HPV vaccine
CHAIRMAN of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA), Mr. David Armogan has made a passionate appeal for East Bank Berbice parents to have their daughters vaccinated, with the recently released Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccines, as he reminded them of the increased rate of cervical cancer. He was speaking during the Brothers Health Centre Day, last Friday, after midwife Arleen Park reported that, of the three new vaccines of recent introduction, Rota Virus, PCV13 and the HPV, the last was receiving less coverage due to misinformation to parents.
Armogan, who is also at the helm of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), advised parents not to listen to naysayers who are claiming that the Government needs to be better informed prior to introducing the drug to girls.
“The naysayers are accessing the blogs and are holding the information as gospel. This vaccine has been tested and approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which would not have released it if it was not truly tested,” he said.
Armogan referred to records which revealed that cervical cancer is on the increase and noted that, in developed countries, a high cost is attached to the vaccine while, locally, it is for free.

QUOTE: “The naysayers are accessing the blogs and are holding the information as gospel. This vaccine has been tested and approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which would not have released it if it was not truly tested.” – David Armogan

“Here, they say it’s not good but we have poor people here. Government is paying for this vaccine which protects girls who are not sexually active from contracting the virus which causes cervical cancer. In London, a child cannot access school without having the vaccine,” he explained.
Armogan, a former teacher, reminded the gathering, particularly the women, not to expose their daughters to the risk of contracting the virus, even as he reminded them of several vaccines which were previously introduced, including for yellow fever, which was not readily accepted, but is now widely used without any known consequences.

REGRETS
“You must be satisfied years from now that you would have played your part well. If not, in the next twenty or thirty years, when your daughter would have cervical cancer, you will have regrets for not allowing her to be vaccinated and there would be nothing you can do then. As a matter of fact, you may not even be around to see her suffer,” he warned.
Meanwhile, in her report, Parks said the vaccination coverage for 2011 included the adult MMR, D1, Yellow Fever and Penta/OP, which recorded 100 percent, while BCG and Rota Virus got 91 percent coverage and PCV 13 achieved 46 percent.

Apart from vaccinations, the midwife informed the invitees of the several outreach services offered by the health centre, which has a catchment area of twenty-one villages, from Rotterdam to Germannia, which, collectively, have a population of approximately 2,500 inhabitants.
Consequently, medical teams, on their monthly visits to Mara and Plegtanker would treat patients with chronic diseases, as well as others desirous of accessing the various treatments according to their conditions, among them vaccination, deworming and counselling.
She said home-based care services are extended to three shut-ins, whose blood pressure and glucose level are tested and given medicines prescribed by the medex.
In the ante-natal clinic, Parks said twenty-three expectant mothers were admitted, including three teenagers and they, readily, accepted the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) treatment, having been tested with their partners .
The out-patient clinic, which is managed by Dr. Dolwin Ritch and medex Yvonne Burrowes treated 215 persons with acute respiratory infection, 65 hypertension patients, 51 diabetics, six with asthmatic condition and 60 underwent the foot care screening.

UTILISED
According to the nurse, the other facilities offered, the post-natal clinic, family planning clinic and child health services were all utilised, with all mothers returning, after delivery, for total examination, advice on family planning and pap smear, prior to having their offsprings enrolled.
Parks said, for the current year, plans are on stream for a blood drive, acquiring utensils for the diabetic foot care programme, increased immunisation, a community fun day and a kitchen garden in the health centre compound.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BRHA, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, responding to the report and issues raised by residents said: “No one and no system is perfect, as the medex has two days to visit the facility weekly, during which period additional visits must be made to health centres in East and West Canje.
He informed that the 27 health centres and health posts across the Region are managed by just seven medexes and though there were 16 medical students studying there, two absconded, leaving the remainder at the hospitals assisting with the shortages.
Mahadeo mentioned, during the mid-morning programme, the introduction of a dental clinic, via a dental bus, which will be visiting the community every quarter and have a dentist who will perform extractions, cleaning and filling procedures.
He said expectant mothers would have an ultra sound done in the 24th and 28th weeks of their pregnancy and encouraged persons to register for the clinic, as soon as they discover their status so they can benefit.
On the issue of the HPV vaccine, Mahadeo said several students are still to come on board and noted that while it is free in Guyana, the rich take their daughters to the United States (U.S.) where they pay the hefty sum of US$250 for each.
Remarking on the outreach, he said the registered shut-ins will also benefit from pampers, clutches and wheelchairs. He complimented the staff for their labour of love in the community.
The two-hour function, which was chaired by a parent, Ms. Shenita Lewis, was punctuated with songs and poems rendered by pupils of Friends Primary and Sisters Nursery schools.