MINISTER of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Friday, disclosed that the government has recently procured a ‘Gene sequencing machine’, to test for the malaria parasite, which he anticipates could be used to test for variants of the coronavirus by the end of 2022.

According to the Health Minister, the machine will be put into operation soon and will begin sequencing to identify the ‘Plasmodium falciparum parasite’ in selected blood samples, which is the parasite that causes malaria in humans.

Minister Anthony noted that this is just one use of the equipment that has been used around the world to identify the gene sequencing of variants of the COVID-19 virus, which equips health authorities with the knowledge of potential outbreaks and the impact of those variants.

Currently, employees of the Ministry of Health are being trained on how to use the equipment.

“We got that machine through another project in malaria and, over the last week we had a number of persons from Harvard [University] here that would have worked with our staff to teach them how to do sequencing and the staff of the lab also went to Harvard to do some training.

“We’ll start first with the Plasmodium falciparum that’s the malaria parasite so they are going to work to sequence that particular parasite but the same techniques can be used to sequence COVID-19,” said Minister Anthony.

TIMELY
Minister Anthony noted that the procurement of the equipment is timely as the government continues to boost its capacity to tackle the deadly COVID-19 virus. He noted that the equipment, when put into operation, will allow health officials to make strategic decisions to minimise the spread of the virus.

Currently, the government is still to send 50 COVID samples to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago to test for the Omicron variant.

Minister Anthony noted that while these samples were to be sent since early January, several issues due to the disruption of the global supply chain caused by the pandemic, have significantly delayed the shipment.

According to the Health Minister, while the recent spike in COVID-19 cases could be seen as a direct sign of the presence of the Omicron variant here, gene sequencing from a sample of the population is the best way to confirm that it’s here.

“We actually selected samples way before we started getting the decline and we’ve had some difficulties sending the samples. So, the samples are packed and ready to go, it’s just that we have to make sure we have the right shipments, there are certain arrangements that have to be made. I think that’s what delayed the samples from going,” Dr. Anthony said.

Minister Anthony, nevertheless, noted that he is excited at the possibility that Guyana could soon bypass the shipping and waiting time and test for the variants locally.

“Maybe during this year you’ll see us doing our own sequencing and we wouldn’t have to send samples to labs and have these prolonged delays and we’re so grateful that we’d be able to do that and when we do that, I think that’s really a quantum leap for the kinds of testing we’d be able to do in Guyana,” said Minister Anthony.