…Health Ministry beefs up team to screen Venezuelans, other migrants

AS Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) member states are being urged to rapidly increase their vaccination coverage due to measles outbreaks in the region, Guyana’s Health Ministry is working assiduously to stay ahead of the game.

According to PAHO’s Director Carissa Etienne, while the 34 PAHO states remain measles free, endemic transmission of the virus has now been re-established in Venezuela. As of this week, Venezuela has reported 3,545 confirmed cases of measles including 62 deaths as thousands regularly flee the country’s current economic crisis to neighbouring South American and Caribbean countries.

Guyana, too, has experienced its share of the Spanish-speaking migrants in its border regions and the government has since responded with humanitarian efforts through the supply of food and medical care.

However, with several health threats still looming and made even more threatening due to the country’s porous borders, Junior Minister of Public Health Karen Cummings, says that the ministry has thought it best to remain vigilant. With the assistance of the Ministries of Citizenship and Communities; the Civil Defence Commission (CDC); regional bodies; a migration team and several health workers, a close eye is being kept on the health status of all refugees.

Dr. Cummings told this newspaper that screening camps and health outposts have been set up in several frontier regions, which quickly spring into action the moment migrants cross over the border.

“The first thing we do when they come out of the boats or where ever, we have a health post set up right there so that persons can be screened not only for measles but several diseases as well. If they need any further treatment we would further them to the Mabaruma Hospital…or anywhere else [depending on where they are located],” she said.
The ministry also engages in weekly multi-sectoral stakeholder meetings to receive updates on the activities of involved parties while sensitisation activities are taking place with both migrants and community members.

Notices are being written in Spanish and placed strategically encouraging Venezuelans to immediately visit the health centre if they believe they are experiencing any symptom of the disease.
These include a high fever which is usually accompanied by any within the list of runny nose, bloodshot eyes, cough and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth.

“If you see something say something…you need to seek help, you need to point it out to the nurse or health worker so that the necessary steps can be taken to address the condition,” is the message locals are being urged to live by. Health care workers trained in Spanish-speaking Cuba are also aiding in transferring this message to migrants while other individuals are assisting with translating the tribal language of indigenous Venezuelans.

In 2002, indigenous measles was eliminated from Guyana and the Americas. Still, reports are that with the exodus of Venezuelans to the remote Brazilian border state of Roraima, health authorities there have now confirmed 281 cases of the disease, mostly among children.

When asked about the ministry’s protocol, should Guyana unfortunately experience a negative change in its track record, Cummings responded:
“We will have to contain them and screen them as usual and, in that case, wherever they are in the country we will have to up our provision of workforce because in those places we don’t have as many as we have on the coastland, so definitely persons will have to be sent there.”

She later added: “We are always stepping it up. So, we are aware of these cases [in Venezuela] and working with our partners, we are kept on the forefront…and so, very early we are staying ahead of the game and so far, so good and we want it to remain that way… we’ve eradicated measles and we don’t want it to come back.”
In general, Guyana has a very good vaccination programme with over 90 per cent coverage as well as a very efficient immunisation programme.

The most recent Vaccination Week in the Americas also observed in Guyana in April, has aided the ministry even further in this regard. But the minister stresses that apart from vigilant health screenings, sensitisation and awareness are crucial components and stakeholders will continue to work to ensure that the necessary information reaches every household in the frontier communities.

“With this influx and the current situation there [in Venezuela] with overcrowding and all of that, they’re trying to survive, so like everything else we have to be merciful… but strike a balance. “We’re happy that we can be of help to them…its humanitarian efforts and so we just want to make sure that if they see something they say something and are happy to report and to visit the health centre…we want to encourage them that every single person must be screened for their own health,” Cummings said.