-residents urged to keep surroundings clean to reduce mosquito breeding grounds

MARKING a major advancement in the fight against malaria in the country by enhancing the health and well-being of residents, the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Health, launched the “Malaria Elimination Initiative” in Region One.

While expressing how “thrilled” he was to have such a significant launch in Port Kaituma, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony explained that the essential endeavour is a significant step towards eradicating malaria from Region One and improving the health and well-being of the residents.

“Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, but it still poses a significant health risk in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine. By launching this initiative, we are committing to intensify our efforts to control and eliminate malaria in all endemic regions. The initiative will involve several activities, such as community education and awareness campaigns, distributing insecticide-treated bed nets, and implementing vector-control measures. We will also work closely with healthcare providers to ensure the early diagnosis and prompt treatment of malaria cases,” he said.

Minister Anthony also expressed his gratitude to their partners and stakeholders for their support in enabling this endeavour. By working together, there is a better chance of eradicating malaria in Guyana and improving the health and well-being of all citizens, the minister added.

Meanwhile, Mr Brentnol Ashley, the Regional Chairman of the Regional Democratic Council, Region One, stated in an interview with this publication that they are extremely happy with the effort made by President, Dr Irfaan Ali, the Ministry of Health, and their partners to ensure that the spread of malaria is not only contained, but reduced to zero.

Ashley said: “As the Regional Chairman, I must say that I am very happy that the government along with the Ministry of Health and their partners, are working in Region One and the other regions on the reduction as well as the eradication of malaria infections for all our communities.”

He added that it is imperative to acknowledge that the distribution of treated mosquito nets by Minister Anthony a few days ago in the region has had a positive influence on the residents and the way they deal with the issue.

“With these treated mosquito nets, the residents understand the importance of staying protected and the dangers of this infection. The level of infections in some of our Region One communities, like Baramita and the mining areas, is much higher than [in] some, and we are hoping that all our residents play their part in ensuring that they are protected as well,” he noted.

Additionally, Ashley explained that the region, with the support of the government, has been conducting fogging and other exercises to minimise the surge of mosquitoes.

According to him, “While there is room for improvement in everything that we do, I truly believe that the government has been working around the clock to ensure that they do all that can be done so that the people are safer.”

Asking residents to be more aware and mindful of how they dispose of their garbage, Ashley explained that they need to hold themselves accountable for the condition of the environment and the harbouring of mosquitoes.

“Malaria and any other illness are not only the fight of the Ministry of Health or the government, but it is a fight that every citizen must participate in so that the problem can be prevented or solved. It is our responsibility to ensure that we follow the guidelines and educate our children about the importance of following the guidelines. We need to look out for ourselves and others and make sure that if there are any symptoms, we can easily identify them while we seek medical attention.

“While the government and the regional officials are doing their best to contain the issues so that you will not get sick, we cannot just sit and wait without doing anything to help ourselves,” he related.

Finally, Ashley asked that even though communities within the hinterland are mostly affected, all Guyanese must play their role in ensuring that their drains or other waterways are clear and not stagnant for mosquitoes to breed.

“Malaria is… our problem, and I hope that we play our part by making sure that we keep our surroundings clean and tidy,” he said.