Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy says surveillance for dengue fever remains high and he insists that the cases being recorded are within the normal levels and “nothing unusual”.
The ministry has been unable to verify any dengue death within recent weeks, Ramsammy said, noting that people are speculating about the illness.
He repeated that if anyone is out there saying Guyanese have died from dengue fever recently they need to produce the evidence to the ministry.
“There are reports out there yet we have no such information to date about unusually high numbers and or related deaths.
Any hospital with a recorded death outside of the public health system needs to provide us with the data”, the minister stated.
Stabroek New was contacted on Wednesday by a member of the public who said he was frustrated with the information in the press about dengue fever since according to him, it has not been accurate.
The man said a relative of his died from dengue fever recently and according to him, “there are whole families out there battling dengue right now”.
Reacting to this information, Ramsammy said hospitals that are treating people, particularly in the private sector had to be careful with diagnosis. He said a dengue fever diagnosis has to be verified before patients are informed they are being treated for it, noting that a rapid test result is not enough confirmation.
He said too that many persons are testing for dengue in the private sector simply because a price tag is attached to the testing. “The question is whether they need to be testing at all, but if they find something they need to tell us because dengue is a reportable illness”, he added.
“…It is not like I am holding onto some information about dengue fever that I don’t want to share. I have to tell people what I know”, the minister said. Ramsammy said that while the ministry is doing its part to keep dengue under control, “everyone has to get involved”.
He said communities need to be onboard and help the ministry to control the illness, adding that it starts with individual action at home. He referred to basins of waters left at residences and drains which are clogged.
Ramsammy noted that dengue is in the region and in the country and according to him, the cases will continue to be recorded because of the climatic conditions.
He noted that the health sector is weighing whether to increase testing for dengue.
To date, there have been around 1000 cases of dengue fever compared to 760 for the same period last year. The minister has acknowledged an increase, but insisted that it is not alarming.
