–where suicide’s a major health concern

By Shirley Thomas
A FOUR-day health intervention initiative slated for Baramita, Region One, got underway yesterday when key health officials from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) visited the community.

The 16-member team, headed by PAHO’s Ms. Karen Roberts, comprises other PAHO/WHO officials and representatives of the Ministry of Public Health. They are expected to round up activities and return to Georgetown by Friday.

The visit has been planned with the health needs of the people of the community in mind, and is intended to empower them to understand and take control of their health.

High on the agenda is suicide prevention. Suicide has been a source of much concern over the last several years, with some 63 residents of the predominantly Carib community having taken their lives, reportedly by hanging.

WORKSHOPS AND IMMUNIZATION
Targeting the wider community, there will be an immunization exercise to benefit residents of Aranka, Cassie Creek, Barama Line, Warapoa, Black Banana and surrounding areas.

And with a focus on the future leaders of the community (the youth population), the team will be holding workshops for students of Baramita Primary School. Topics include: Healthy Life style Practice; Self Esteem; Suicide; HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

Other activities include Capacity-Building Workshops for Toshaos, Councillors and other stakeholders such as the police, teachers, representatives of sports and culture, businessmen and miners.

Other topics on which the team will engage local stakeholders include: Mental Health; Environmental Health and Suicide Prevention; Violence; Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.

Essentially, there will be sensitization sessions on Communicable Diseases such as Tuberculosis, Malaria, Dengue and Zika.

POTENTIAL HAZARDS
Visits are also scheduled to be made to mining sites, as well as ‘mined-out’ sites, said Community Development Officer, Virgil Ferriera, who outlined that the latter can constitute a potential hazard for unsuspecting persons venturing to fish there.

Noting that in the past, mercury was used in those areas during the mining process, Ferreira said since no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would have been done following the closure of those sites, it is difficult to tell whether there are traces of mercury in the water in which residents might from time to time fish.

That apart, he said, such water accumulation constitutes breeding grounds for mosquitoes, making it possible for Malaria, Dengue and possibly Zika to be transmitted to residents.

Also on the cards is the testing of potable water in the area, with a view to quickly arresting any possible contamination of drinking water sourced from improvised hand-dug holes.

Much is being done by PAHO/WHO, the Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Education to address the health and welfare needs of the young people in particular of Baramita.

CITY TOUR
Last November, PAHO, in collaboration with other stakeholder ministries, hosted 23 students of the Primary and Secondary Departments of Baramita School on a four-day visit to Georgetown.
Accommodated at the Ocean View Hotel, the students who were accompanied by their headmistress and five community leaders (including parents) were taken on tour of the city.

While on tour, they paid a courtesy call on President David Granger; had lunch with PAHO Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow; and discussions with Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine.They also met with officials of the Public Health Ministry and Ministry of Social Protection.

The touring party also visited the Museum and National Library; The Bank of Guyana, from whence they had a panoramic view of the city; and were also taken on tours of the Zoological Park and Botanical Gardens.
The hosts of the programme put together the package for the young people, so as to have them engage in meaningful activities that would make them feel good about themselves; harbor feelings of pride and self-worth, while bringing them to a conscious realization that life is precious, worth living and should be cherished and preserved, not snuffed out.