INFLUENZA (flu) vaccines will soon be made available to all senior citizens across the country, further strengthening Guyana’s prevention-focused approach to healthcare.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony made the announcement at the commissioning of the state-of-the-art Number 75 Regional Hospital on Thursday.
The vaccine is important because studies have shown that people 65 years and older are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications when compared with younger and healthier adults. The increased risk is due in part to a decline in one’s immune deficiency as a result of age.
While flu seasons vary in severity, people 65 years and older bear the greatest burden of severe flu complications. In recent years, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that between 70 per cent and 85 per cent of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred among people 65 years and older, and between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of seasonal flu-related hospitalisations have occurred among people in this age group.
The introduction of this vaccine in Guyana would help prevent flu-related illnesses and deaths.
“Very soon, we will also introduce the influenza vaccine for all our seniors,” the minister declared, underscoring that prevention is a cornerstone of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government’s health strategy.
Minister Anthony stressed that the expansion of vaccination programmes goes hand in hand with the government’s broader vision of strengthening primary healthcare and ensuring early intervention. In addition to children’s vaccines, the government has already introduced the nine-valent HPV vaccine, one of the most advanced of its kind in the region, aimed at eliminating cervical cancer in Guyana.
“We want to practice good, preventative medicine… because to fight disease, you have to start with healthy people,” he said.
The health sector has also seen major advancements in technology, with the rollout of electronic health records at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, telemedicine platforms in hinterland communities, and pilot programmes for online appointments. Artificial intelligence is also being introduced to assist with diagnostic imaging.
Highlighting the broader impact of reforms, Dr. Anthony said, “We are also ensuring that hearing aids, prosthetics, wheelchairs, spectacles, and dialysis services are free for the people of Guyana. This is what it means to be a caring government.”
He further noted that Guyana is leading the Caribbean in programmes such as Hepatitis C treatment and is on the verge of eliminating diseases like filaria, leprosy, and Chagas by 2030.
Minister Anthony acknowledged President Ali’s vision and leadership as the driving force behind the remarkable investments and reforms that are transforming Guyana’s healthcare system into a modern, resilient, and people-centred model. (DPI)