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THE Ministry of Health has recorded from 2001 to 2012 in Region1( Barima-Waini) a total of 114 deaths due to acute gastroenteritis/acute diarrhoeal diseases. Sixty-five point six percent of these deaths were males, with 61 percent being five years and younger and 11 percent over 50 years. This is according to information provided by Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran in the National Assembly in response to questions by Leader of the Opposition David Granger, as to the names, ages of the persons who would have died as a result of gastro-enteritis, or of similar or related diseases, in the region from January, 1999 to April 2013.
In his response, the minister explained that it would have had only available validated electronic information for the region that covered the period 2001 to 2011. Prior to this, information was collected using a paper-based system which was destroyed in the 2009 fire that gutted the Ministry of Health building.
In 2013, the ministry recorded only under five deaths in the region and these include a seven-month old female who died on March 4, 2013, of bronchial-pneumonia and acute gastroenteritis; a two-year-old male who died on March 13, 2013, of bronchial-pneumonia and non-gastroenteritis; and another male who also died of bronchial-pneumonia and non- gastroenteritis on March 14, 2013.
The information provided by the ministry was collected in accordance with the principles and standards established by the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC). This agency has now been incorporated into the recently commissioned Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
According to the minister, information on acute gastroenteritis and related diarrhoeal diseases is routinely collected using the registration of death forms, which capture the information from the health facilities where the death was registered.
The information, which does not include the person’s name, is coded and entered into the data base which is then validated with the General Register’s Office and then submitted to CARPHA for review. Based on this information, the MOH can provide a line-listing of the coded data on all deaths due to acute gastro-enteritis and related conditions, namely diarrhoeal diseases from Region 1.
Minister Ramsaran also informed the National Assembly that the Chief Medical Officer has been advised to ensure that the surveillance is maintained and the system rigorously monitored in response to another question by Mr. Granger about the system the ministry has put in place to prevent a recurrence of such deaths.
Minister Ramsaran advised that in addition, the CMO has been ensuring that epidemiological information and analysis already done are reviewed for conformity with CARPHA’s standards and principles, and that future collection and processing of epidemiological data and epidemiological analysis are done in conformity with international best practices. (GINA)
In his response, the minister explained that it would have had only available validated electronic information for the region that covered the period 2001 to 2011. Prior to this, information was collected using a paper-based system which was destroyed in the 2009 fire that gutted the Ministry of Health building.
In 2013, the ministry recorded only under five deaths in the region and these include a seven-month old female who died on March 4, 2013, of bronchial-pneumonia and acute gastroenteritis; a two-year-old male who died on March 13, 2013, of bronchial-pneumonia and non-gastroenteritis; and another male who also died of bronchial-pneumonia and non- gastroenteritis on March 14, 2013.
The information provided by the ministry was collected in accordance with the principles and standards established by the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC). This agency has now been incorporated into the recently commissioned Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
According to the minister, information on acute gastroenteritis and related diarrhoeal diseases is routinely collected using the registration of death forms, which capture the information from the health facilities where the death was registered.
The information, which does not include the person’s name, is coded and entered into the data base which is then validated with the General Register’s Office and then submitted to CARPHA for review. Based on this information, the MOH can provide a line-listing of the coded data on all deaths due to acute gastro-enteritis and related conditions, namely diarrhoeal diseases from Region 1.
Minister Ramsaran also informed the National Assembly that the Chief Medical Officer has been advised to ensure that the surveillance is maintained and the system rigorously monitored in response to another question by Mr. Granger about the system the ministry has put in place to prevent a recurrence of such deaths.
Minister Ramsaran advised that in addition, the CMO has been ensuring that epidemiological information and analysis already done are reviewed for conformity with CARPHA’s standards and principles, and that future collection and processing of epidemiological data and epidemiological analysis are done in conformity with international best practices. (GINA)
