Unhygienic living conditions of migrants improved with intervention – Health Minister

Continued engagement and support to migrants recently found living along the riverbanks at Anabisi, Region One (Barima-Waini) led to improved living and health conditions in the settlement.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony provided an update on the migrant situation, where he outlined that residents would have cooperated with environmental officials to establish a better living setting.
“We also had another team that went back in to look at the environmental conditions. As you can see, it was quite unhygienic. We sent the environmental health officer. That person worked with them…and helped to get the place cleaned up so that they’re not living in very unsanitary conditions. With the help of the same residents, we were able to do that and that was done during last week,” the Minister detailed.
With the detection of malaria, nets infused with insecticides were sent for residents to protect themselves. Infected persons have been seeking treatment.
“Because we had one case of malaria amongst the group, we thought that it was important that we give them mosquito nets. We would have distributed about 75 insecticide-impregnated malaria nets to this group. Some of it are hammocks with nets so that was very convenient for them.”
Throughout last week, officials were able to establish a liaison person as was previously planned. This will now allow for communication between the settlements and officials to provide other needed assistance. Dr Anthony shared that thus far, the migrants have been receiving support in several areas of need.
“The team from the Port Kaituma hospital would continue to monitor what’s going on in Anabisi. We have identified two persons in the community. There’s a young lady that speaks Warrau, a little English and Spanish. That person would be the liaison in terms of the medical things and there’s another gentleman there who has been keeping a record of the persons that came across. We’re are having a liaison with him too to check on records, who’s there and to assist them in any way possible. So far, the interaction has been good and whatever support is needed, they’re getting from the regional officials and the hospital at Port Kaituma.”
After the migrants of Warrau origin were found living on the riverbank, a ministerial team arrived in the community to provide medical assistance, food supplies and other items. Cases of upper respiratory tract infections, diarrhoeal diseases and rashes continued to be the predominant conditions along with chronic malnutrition in children.
Following reports of the discovery, the Office of the Prime Minister had stated that several Government agencies immediately responded to provide the necessary emergency interventions.
Two days ago, Guyana Times reported that with over 20,000 Venezuelan migrants in remote hinterland areas, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) underscored the need for humanitarian presence and support from the international community to aid with the Government of Guyana’s response to the needs of these communities.
This is according to UNHCR’s Multi-Country Office Representative in Panama, Philippa Candler. During a recent press briefing in Geneva, she expressed concerns about the difficult conditions of Indigenous Venezuelans in Guyana, some of whom have settled in hard-to-reach areas near the border and others in or around the towns of Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini).
“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, colleagues and I are worried about the difficult living conditions of Indigenous [Warrau] families from Venezuela who are settled in remote locations across Guyana. Increased humanitarian presence and timely support from the international community is needed to help the Government of Guyana respond to the needs of these communities,” Candler stated.
The UN Refugee Agency representative disclosed that Guyana is currently home to an estimated 24,500 refugees and migrants from Venezuela, including some 2500 Indigenous Warraus.
She noted that some 250 Warraus, half of whom are children, have also found refuge in Anabisi in northern Guyana since early 2020.