Guyana, PAHO/WHO working on initiative to eradicate 5 key diseases
Guyana’s government has announced that it is collaborating with the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) on a new program to eradicate five major infectious illnesses in the country.
The Ministry of Health stated that the government has identified Filaria [big foot], leprosy, chagas, leishmaniasis, or bush yaws as diseases that can be eradicated in a few years and is confident that these diseases will be eradicated with technical assistance from two United Nations health organizations.
“We’ve collaborated with them on a number of projects.” We are currently attempting to eradicate Filaria from Guyana. We hope to be able to declare Guyana filaria-free in a couple of years. So that’s one of the projects we’re working on with PAHO,” said Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, speaking at the launching of the Paramakatoi Smart Hospital in Region Eight.
“Right now, at the national level, we believe that it has been removed.” Yet, there are still places where we need to try to eliminate it in those specific areas. That’s the type of targeted work we’re doing with PAHO,” Dr Anthony explained.
He stated that the government is confident that Leishmaniasis, which is caused by infection with Leishmania parasites carried by the bite of phlebotomine sand flies, and Chagas disease, which is caused by a bug, will be eradicated from Guyana.
Malaria is still endemic in Region One, and the ministry is working hard to diminish it in the first instance and to eradicate it in the affected regions by 2030.
Anthony stated that the government will soon start an intriguing immunization program.
“We also know that with the immunization program, you have to give them injections, which many people dislike.” We will administer the vaccine, but not as an injection. That one, which will make it more comfortable for the child receiving the vaccine, will be launched very soon. It’s not a vaccine in the conventional sense. “There will be a different method of delivering the vaccination,” he continued.
