The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO hosted an International Health Regulations and Pandemic Influenza workshop in order to equip health care workers to detect and manage pandemic influenza.

According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the three-day workshop focused on the National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan (NIPPP), International Health Regulation, surveillance of influenza: generic protocol for influenza surveillance, infection control, vaccines and antivirals, hospital preparedness plan and risk communication for health faculties.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud said the session was timely as it focuses on the clinical aspect of influenza management, surveillance monitoring and evaluation. He said since the emergence of the H5N1 bird flu in 2003, Guyana established a national committee to follow up on outbreaks of the virus. “Part of the preparedness involved securing our ports and through the implementation of the international health regulation 2005, we are ready to put quickly, a number of systems in place to start screening our ports,” he said.

Persaud said about 40 countries have reported the presence of the H1N1 virus and there is now established human to human transmission.  “There are more than 8,000 confirmed cases of H1N1 (swine flu) and 76 deaths so far confirmed,” he said.

Meanwhile, PAHO/WHO country representative Dr Kathleen Israel said that the workshop is being conducted in the context of the influenza pandemic which was anticipated as a result of H5N1. She said the training will provide participants with the tools to “to effectively monitor and detect any cases of acute respiratory infection whether it is caused by H1N1 or by H5N1.”

Israel noted that the Caribbean has been fortunate since it has not experienced any outbreak of the H1N1 virus. However, she noted that despite the fact that no cases have been found, countries must continue to monitor the situation and take precautionary measures to prevent acute respiratory infections. She then charged the participants to apply the knowledge gained from the workshop to their work environment and communities.