Despite reports of the reduced number of malaria cases, Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings on Thursday announced plans to launch yet another anti-malarial campaign, while noting that the disease remains a threat to the country.
The campaign dubbed ‘the Malaria Action Project’ was launched at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown.
Dr Cummings told the gathering that the breakthrough project is currently being rolled out in the hinterland areas in Regions Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and, “Advocates for social and behavioural changes within these malaria endemic communities with the aim of eliminating malaria in these areas”.
“Malaria continues to be a major concern in the region of Americas and the world. In fact there is (a) resuscitated drive for the elimination of this disease of public
Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings poses with US Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Halloway, Ministry officials and supporters of the programme
health concern. In 2016, there were approximately 216 million cases of malaria worldwide, resulting in a reported 445,000 deaths,” she explained.
The Minister nonetheless assured that of the 21 malaria endemic countries in the region of the Americas, Guyana is currently one of the 18 countries who have so far grooved into robust actions and policies to combat the disease.
She said, “Currently the National Malaria Programme of the Ministry of Public Health is implementing innovative interventions which target the delivery of services at the community level”.
It was explained that one of the strategies includes building capacity of miners and loggers in testing and treating themselves for the mosquito-borne disease.
The Minister said although this initiative may seem “simple”, the success of the programme is subjected to the influence of key determinants of the targeted persons.
On that note, the Minister explained the importance of the Ministry in conducting an assessment to determine the gap between the patients.
“The National Malaria Programme has been able to design a social and behavioural intervention which is human centred and which is informed by formative research by the gaps in the knowledge, attitudes and perception of the groups of communities being targeted.”
Breakthrough Action, which is the company contracted by USAID for the social behavioural change intervention, will be working in collaboration with John Hopkins University.
The Minister pointed out that the country is presently utilising a limited pool of anti-malarials. “It is therefore important that this pool be managed properly from both the perspective of the healthcare provider and that of the patient,” she added.
