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Deworming exercise gaining results

Mar 24, 2009 News

As the Ministry of Health continues its national deworming exercise in the country,

Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, has said that so far there are indications that there is a significant reduction as it relates to persons who have ‘worms.’

The deworming programme was recently completed in Region Six where 29,299 households were visited as opposed to an estimated 30,924 households.

“That’s a particularly huge achievement by the volunteers to actually visit all these homes,” Minister Ramsammy said.

He also lauded the cooperation from the private sector, non-governmental organisations and the churches in the area, as due to their involvement, the ministry was able to reach 95 percent of the households.

The riverain areas, Minister Ramsammy said, will be done this week and the exercise will be continued over the next several weeks.

A total of 120,000 persons in Region Six were seen and given the medication by the volunteers.

The programme has already commenced in Region Two, as sensitisation is currently ongoing with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

After this region is completed, the exercise will then move on to Regions Three, Four, and Ten after which the hinterland areas will be targeted.

It is expected that the deworming programme would be completed by the end of June and Dr. Ramsammy hopes to treat the entire population.

“This is a massive exercise but Regions Five and Six together have shown that in short periods like the weekend, we can cover the entire population.”

The deworming exercise is mainly geared at eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) in Guyana.

The programme was first introduced in Region five, where the ministry reached out to approximately 50,000 persons.

One of the conditions that result from LF is hydrocele (swelling of genitals), and in the last three years, the Ministry has seen an 88 percent reduction in the diagnosis of new cases of hydrocele.

Globally, more than 120 million persons live with LF, with more than 40 million suffering from debilitating conditions, such as lymphoedema (swelling of limbs and breasts, swelling of genitals (hydrocele) and swelling of limbs with thick, rough and fissured skin (elephantiasis).

Almost 20,000 Guyanese live with these conditions.

During the course of the exercise, volunteers will be distributing albendezol and Dec pills, which prevent LF.

Everyone, excepting children under two years old, lactating women and pregnant women, will be offered the treatment.

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