Life expectancy rate up by almost 10 years – Health Minister

Oct 28, 2011 News

The quality of life in Guyana has noticeablely improved leading to an increase in the life expectancy rate by almost 10 years in the last decade. This development came at a time when, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, “the country was again flirting with a life expectancy rate which was dropping below 60 years as we emerged into the 1990s.” He confidently asserted that today Guyana has a life expectancy rate of close to 71 years.
The Minister outlined that the life expectancy had risen from 40 in the 1960s to 61 by 1970 and that remained the same by 1990. However, sustained improvement in the health sector has now allowed for further improvement.
“The life expectancy of a country is usually an indication of a country’s economic and social progress. Even though we were among the Caribbean countries with the highest life expectancy in 1964, we were at the bottom of the life expectancy ranking by 1990, lagging between 10 and 14 years behind other Caribbean countries, outside of Haiti.’
But today, Guyana is proudly catching up with the rest of the Caribbean and we have a life expectancy similar to many of the CARICOM countries with a gap of only between two and five years compared to the highest ranking countries.”
And the increase in the life expectancy rate is no mere coincidence, as according to the Minister, the health workers are improving in their competency level and because more health workers have been placed around the country allowing for equitable health service.
“We have made gains when it comes to our health, there is no doubt about that. We have almost beaten infectious diseases because we have better health systems and we have more medicines so our people are living longer.”
However, the evident gains that have been made could be threatened unless immediate measures are taken to ensure that people are able to live disable-free lives.
“It is not just how long we live but it is how long we live productive, disable-free lives,” he asserted.
The Minister alluded to the fact that chronic diseases in every country of the world are adding disability-laden lives to people. He highlighted that not only are people losing their sight but they are also losing their limbs.
“If we take action now we can avert those disabilities and early death. The truth of the matter is that too many people die prematurely…” he opined.
Recognizing chronic diseases as a global public health problem which is a major catalyst for poverty, the Minister noted that sustained efforts must be made to ensure that the challenge is arrested. He made reference to the Ministry’s ‘Me to You, Reach One, Save One’ programme which speaks to spreading the word about the importance of healthy living.
“I believe that if we all get together we can reach virtually every family in Guyana with awareness messages. You must tell your friends; we would like people to know their BMI, know your sugar level, know your blood pressure measurement at all times…” the Minister said.
And in order to help foster this process which was recently endorsed at the level of the United Nations, the Ministry of Health has been introducing its Workplace Wellness Programme which is expected to extend the level of awareness to families, and by extension, foster the life expectancy rate.

2 thoughts on “Life expectancy rate up by almost 10 years – Health Minister”

carl veecock October 28, 2011 at 8:45 am

” He confidently asserted that today Guyana has a life expectancy rate of close to 71 years”

Very pleasing to read this.

Also the comments ” You must tell your friends; we would like people to know their BMI,
know your sugar level, know your blood pressure measurement at all times…”

Well…hmnnn
1. have medical clinics spread all over the place and not in places difficult to access

2. do basic training in all high schools as part of the curriculum to develop an early
awareness of good health

3. the simple blood pressure and heart rate monitor which we have in almost every
pharmacy here, can be easily had and spread across banks, government offices
and major stores ( Guyana does not have many pharmacies (drug stores), so
use places where people frequent and can access these simple equipment.)
Grant you they are not final but they do give quite reliable readings to put
individuals on the alert.

4. finally…time to get better public hospitals along the East Coast and the East Bank.
The GPH is not enough for people without ready cash

Now with this increased life expectancy, is NIS going to revise their pension base?
seclusive October 28, 2011 at 3:11 pm

It is a vague statement and without any facts to support, probably another election gimmick. At one time he said we had a mere 4-6 percentage of our population with Diabetes. We however, know better that, the figure is much higher, almost every Guyanese know the use of Metformin in treating Diabetes, it is also an OTC. drug here….most drugs here are unregulated, poverty and malnourishment rampant, HIV/AIDS, TB. Malaria etc, and most of all stress and heart related diseases…we are a dying nation and the Minister knows it, instead of 71 he should consider 41 yrs as the cut-off point, in terms of life expectancy…