USING US$15 million in funding, the Ministry of Health will be rolling out a three-year project in March to help strengthen local surveillance and laboratory systems and to recruit more specialists to combat viral diseases.
This is according to Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony, who told reporters on Friday that the focus will not be on a single virus but everything that affects the human population.
With regard to the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) which has turned into a global epidemic, the minister told reporters following the handing over of vector-control supplies to the tune of G$646 million, that no cases have been detected here.
He stated that in the region, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has the capability to diagnose and in fact, this is not a new thing, since it has been around for many years and from looking at the profile of the disease, it is not one with a high fatality rate.
“So, it’s pathogens. It is not a new disease… let’s say it’s a cousin of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). We can manage it quite successfully but we have seen what’s happening globally. We made sure we took samples and sent it [sic] for diagnosis, so if people get sick when they come in to our facilities or
come for a test, we will obviously be able to take that sample and be able to make the diagnosis, and that is what everybody is doing with infectious diseases,” the minister said.
He reported that in Guyana, a lot of work has been done to manage viral diseases. This year, the work will continue, using the money that was disbursed through the Pandemic Fund.