Frontline workers must be protected – Health Minister

…as PAHO makes another contribution of supplies

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Wednesday underscored the importance of protecting Guyana’s health workers, in face of the COVID-19 pandemic which can be transmitted easily from infected patients.
The Health Minister shared this position at the Diamond Drug Bond, East Bank Demerara, where the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) made a sizeable donation of gears for the health sector.

The contribution comprised of stethoscopes, oxygen concentrators, medications, 5200 gowns, 264000 surgical masks, 58000 respirator masks, 2800 goggles and 30000 face shields.
As such, the Minister expressed that infections can be curtailed if they take precautions to protect these workers.
“If we are going to be successful at fighting COVID-19, then we must be able to protect frontline workers. What we have here are some of that equipment that are needed by our nurses and doctors and other healthcare staff. Without that, our staff would be exposed to infection and, therefore, they will be putting themselves in harm’s way,” Dr Anthony said.
The Minister went on to say that patients’ safety depends on the accurate equipment used for treatment. As such, the supply of ventilators and other key elements were highly welcomed.
“People can move very quickly from looking very normal, maybe from having very few symptoms and they deteriorate very rapidly, where they need ventilators. If we do not have those beds that are equipped, then we will have problems.”
Meanwhile, he signalled the need for more testing to be done since they have received a significant supply of the kits required, which will significantly increase capacity. Dr Anthony highlighted that regions are showing zero positives because of inadequate testing; something which must be changed under his leadership.
“People believe that because they are seeing zero or they haven’t heard about any cases in the region that they can relax and breach whatever COVID-19 guideline we have. They don’t feel like they need to wear masks. They don’t feel that they ought to do the social distancing and so forth. That’s a fallacy. It is a fallacy because, in those regions where we are showing zero, it is because we have not been doing enough testing,” he clarified.
In recent weeks, PAHO has made four sizeable donations and this will follow in the coming week with another contribution. According to the Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow, ventilators and some 30,000 kits will be delivered to aid in the COVID-19 fight.
“Next week, we are going to receive some more items. One is the assisted breathing device, the ventilators because it is my understanding that GPHC is short of the ventilators. Therefore, bringing that in should help us a lot more.”
Calls were made for citizens to behave responsibly, take precautions and wear a mask to collectively protect themselves and others.