In a statement on Saturday, Dr Ramsammy said that his ministry is already losing its goal to keep the level of malaria cases below 10,000 in 2010 as the number for the first quarter of the year is almost 3,000.
While congratulating his health workers for keeping the level of cases last year at 11,000-the same as it was in 2008- the minister said that they still did not achieve their goal which was to keep the level below 10,000
“The proliferation of mining camps in Regions 1 and 9, added to the continuing proliferation in Regions 7 and 8, is creating a challenging situation for the health workers,” the minister said in his statement.
According to the minister the “most worrying part of the situation” in the hinterland is the fact that virtually greater than 50% of the camps have no nets. He said the ministry has distributed more than 80,000 nets in the hinterland, yet few camps now have nets and many homes are lacking nets.
“We will this year begin another round of net distribution. But we must caution persons that these nets cost us about $10US per net and we cannot keep replacing them every few months,” the minister warned.
He said his ministry will commence an exercise soon that will ensure they build the capacity of the regions to improve their vector control activity and they will also this year distribute another 30,000 mosquito long-lasting impregnated bed nets to regions 1,7, 8 and 9.
Meanwhile, the minister issued an appeal to all stakeholders to cooperate with his ministry so as to reduce the incidence of malaria in the country.
He asked persons to desist from procuring medicines that are not within the malaria guidelines.
“We remind everyone that treatment for malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is restricted to fixed dose artemisinin based medicines. Guyana presently uses Coartem as the fixed dose artemisinin-based medicine within our malaria treatment guideline.
This medicine is available to all through our health centres and hospitals,” the minister said.
Late last year the minister had thrown down the gauntlet to pharmacies to desist from selling the single dose artemisinin malaria drug by the end of last year and threatened that he would have instructed officers from the Food & Drugs Department to size the drug from their shelves.
The minister had said that his patience had run out and stated that he would have been forced to take this extreme measure as the single dose drug posed a risk to the malaria fight since there is now resistance to the combination.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had last year warned against the single dose being used as resistance had been detected.
The minister had also threatened to go to Parliament and gazette the removal of the drug from the shelves.
He had pointed out that because the drug is easy to obtain the pharmacies are importing it in bulk and he had hinted that he might also have to seek to restrict the importation of the drug.
“The risk is very high and the private sector is not adhering to the rule,” the minister had said. He stated that artemisinin has to be used along with other drugs.
The minister pointed out that it is each citizen’s responsibility to take every precaution possible to prevent the spread of malaria.
“While we will continue to expand our services and while we will continue to increase resources in the fight against malaria, we need the help of every citizen living, working and visiting the hinterland Regions where malaria is endemic to play a role,” the minister stressed.
And the minister said that his ministry will this week be paying close attention to Region 10 as although the malaria incidence rate is low in the region the situation often sees increasing occurrences in various parts of Region 10.
“I have instructed that a team from the Malaria Department visit various communities in Region 10 to see what additional support the Ministry of Health can provide in order for the health workers of Region 10 to ensure that malaria is kept under control,” the minister said.
