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Bilateral co-operation crucial to health security – Health Minister

Aug 04, 2009 News

The maternal mortality rate is expected to be reduced to under eight per 10,000 by 2015 and the infant mortality rate is slated to dip below 15 per 10,000 within the same timeframe, Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy predicts. He holds this programme close to his heart.
But even more ambitious is the Minister’s belief that these achievements, which come as part of the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS), will all be in place before the target year of 2015.
And according to him, the local Health Ministry is confident that the goals will be attained with the help of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
“I believe that it is critical for all countries that the MDGs are attained but Guyana has absolutely no intention to be one of the countries that do not meet the obligation under the MDGs,” Dr Ramsammy noted.
He said that it is not only crucial to view the partnership with PAHO as valuable but added that partnerships that are forged among other countries through the technical entity are extremely important as well.
The Minister emphasised the notion that health cannot be assured simply by closing a country’s borders and thinking that what happens outside the borders will not affect within.
He alluded to the fact that the present battle with the H1N1 virus is a case in point which accentuates the notion that “if we are going to ensure good health we must also ensure co-operation between our countries.”
Citing a practical example, the Minister narrated a simple scenario. “It is like one village keeping itself clean and the adjoining village not paying attention to its garbage and sanitation and how they live. It will affect you.
“If I keep my yard clean, including the drains in front of my yard and my neighbour doesn’t, I am still affected because the mosquito and things that spread the diseases do not recognise that I am doing my part.”
He noted that it is essential that local health workers begin to appreciate the fact that such a relationship exists between countries even as he pointed to the very strong bilateral relations Guyana has with countries such as Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname.
He further asserted that Guyana and Cuba have model bilateral relationships that fall into the category of best practices, adding that countries must co-operate in order to develop strong relations.
And according to him, the comprehensive interaction sometimes can benefit from having a co-ordinating body within the region which is in fact aptly represented by the significant role that PAHO plays in its partnership initiatives.
“If we didn’t have the ability to communicate with each other, can you see the dangers that our citizens can be exposed to? If Venezuela does not have to inform us about things happening within its borders whether it is a mysterious death or whatever, can you see how we will be exposed?”
But today within 24 hours, the Minister highlighted that the International Health Regulations calls for information to be shared and countries’ ports of entry must meet certain requirements to protect health.
And such measures, according to Dr Ramsammy are critical towards global security for health.
However, he lamented the fact that many developing countries have not reached the capacity to implement effectively the International Health Regulation as Guyana.
“I am delighted that the partnership with PAHO includes significantly building capacity for International Health Regulation. It provides us with an opportunity to interact with countries close and far.”
According to the Minister, he believes that the International Health Regulations are critical to protecting health, thus the need to develop the capacity to effectively implement the regulations.
And this move, he believes will undoubtedly serve as security measures in the face of health challenges such as SARS, the Avian Flu and now the H1N1 virus.

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