By Jeff Trotman
The Region Ten Democratic Council is calling on the government to implement a more coherent and structured response that includes proper testing and treatment of persons suspected of contracting the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus.
APNU Councillor Maurice Butters, during the statutory meeting of the RDC last Thursday, expressed concern about the lack of information in the Region on the virus. Butters, Chairman of the Region Ten Health and Environment Committee, told his fellow councillors that the Management Board of the Linden Hospital Complex had not met since June and he wanted to know the status of the chikungunya virus in Region Ten.
Regional Chairman, Sharma Solomon said it is a serious matter and it is frightening that there is no response to the disease in the Region and the people of the Region are not aware of any mechanism that is in place to deal with the disease. “We’re all waiting to get sick and I pray to God many persons don’t because it is not something nice,” Solomon said. “I had it, or I still do. My knees are still creaking right now …. I still get headaches.”
Butters said that according to the experts, even when one gets better, the virus stays in one’s body for years. The Regional Chairman then asked the Clerk of Council, Yolanda Hilliman, for an update on the response to the chikungunya disease. “Don’t leh we polish nutten,” he added. “If we don’t have the resources or a response let us know and the people in the Region
