THE main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has made a call for the immediate promulgation of a national plan of action in response to the current threat the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) entering Guyana, disclosing that they are prepared to work with the Government and civil society to achieve this goal. 

The Party’s concerns about the disease which currently poses international concern was expressed recently at their weekly press conference at the office of the Leader of the Opposition, Hadfield Street.
According to APNU, “President Donald Ramotar’s broadcast to the nation last Friday, October 17, did not go far enough.” The Party is contending that an indication was made that the Government, despite its awareness of international alarm over the EVD outbreak in certain West African countries, which was reported six months ago, is still to convince the population at large that the Administration is prepared to deal with the Ebola threat.
CHIKUNGUNYA
Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran was also accused of reacting slowly, despite being warned of the gravity of the public health threat. “The Ministry, as in the case of the still raging Chikungunya disease, has failed to promulgate a comprehensive plan,” APNU said.
The party’s dissatisfaction, however, comes with a list of precautionary measures they are urging the government to consider in their fight against the outbreak of the disease.
SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS
Protection, prevention and surveillance are the first methods APNU is encouraging the Government to focus on. “Surveillance must be improved at formal ports of entry at which legitimate passengers could be screened,” the main Opposition said, noting that the well-known, notorious, illegal backtrack routes must also be closed.
As it relates to community involvement and social mobilisation, the party noted that President Ramotar’s promise, “to seek maximum cooperation” and to “invite leaders of all parliamentary political parties and civil society to join forces with the Government in a national response to prepare and protect our people from the deadly Ebola virus” is yet to happen. APNU is contending also that the entire nation needs to be educated and engaged about the danger of the disease since it knows “no borders in modern countries.”
“There has to be a single national plan of action to coordinate the efforts of the Government, civil airlines and the population. This is necessary to oversee the activation of neighbourhood, regional and national public health response and to recruit, equip and train volunteers. The Government must act quickly to acquire sufficient medical supplies, including personal protective equipment such as face shields, masks, goggles, gowns and gloves in order to be better prepared to protect the population,” APNU said.
Finally, as it relates to clinical preparedness and case management, the party is advising that there must be early diagnosis of infection and prompt supportive care. “There must also be good laboratory services, case management, contact-tracing and safe burial,” they noted.
APNU COMMITTED
As such, APNU is reaffirming their commitment to protect the population from any threat and work with the Government and civil society in order to achieve this national goal of safe public health.
However, earlier this month the Head of State assured that his administration is taking a proactive approach to combat the Ebola virus. He noted that several measures have already been put in place to address this major public health concern. “We have already taken steps in that direction,” he said.
These include:
* The restriction on the issuance of visas to residents from a number of West African countries;
* The issuance of advisories to all Guyanese to avoid travelling to destinations that are under surveillance for Ebola, for the time being. In this case, if Guyanese have travelled to such destinations they are required to indicate so;
* The increased surveillance at ports of entry, as well as more thorough screening at these ports. In this regard, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Ogle Airport Authorities, the Ministries of Works and Health have been working closely to monitor the arriving passengers;
* The installation of modern equipment to raise the effectiveness of this exercise;
* The procurement of additional medical supplies, including more protective gear, gloves, etc. to ensure that Guyana is prepared to deal with possible Ebola cases; and
* The identification of retention centres, to be used for quarantine and monitoring of suspected cases, among others.
“In the event of the discovery of suspected cases, the Public Health responses have been organised. Suspected arriving passengers will be quarantined at holding centres at Ports of Entry. Elsewhere, suspected persons, if hospitalised would be cared for under conditions of strict isolation. Larger population of suspected cases would be mandatorily quarantined at identified facilities established in the country,” President Ramotar said.