Health sector records dip in malaria cases

Feb 21, 2014 News

Approximately 27,000 cases of malaria were recorded by the Ministry of Health through its Vector Control Services Unit during the past year. Although the number of cases would appear to be high, Director of the Unit, Dr Reyaud Rahman, told Kaieteur News during an interview that the figure represents a marked reduction of cases by at least 1,000.

Vector Control Director, Dr Reyaud Rahman

Malaria cases had in fact reached an all-time high when the Ministry of Health had moved to intensify its malaria fight a few years ago. However it was such moves, the Vector Control Director said, that were instrumental in bringing down the number of reported cases.
The reduced number of cases, according to Dr Rahman, is evident by the fact that “less people visiting the various (malaria) centres throughout the country are being found to be infected…added to that, persons are telling us that they are not having as many cases with malaria, and this is throughout the coast, even the main centre in Georgetown, at places like Essequibo, Linden to some extent and across the regions…”
According to Dr Rahman, officers attached to the Vector Control Unit were during the past year undertaking a hands-on approach to address the scourge of malaria, a move he assures will continue this year.
Malaria is transmitted exclusively through the bites of Anopheles mosquitoes. If untreated, the impact of the disease can result in death, and Guyana has reported a few cases including among pregnant women.
Once bitten, persons can manifest symptoms of the disease within seven days or more. Symptoms, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), can in the initial stages include fever, headache, chills and vomiting, and may be mild and difficult to recognize as malaria. If not treated within 24 hours, the disease can progress to severe illness, often leading to death.
Added to this, WHO has highlighted that children with severe malaria frequently develop one or more of the following symptoms: severe anaemia, respiratory distress in relation to metabolic acidosis, or cerebral malaria. In adults, multi-organ involvement is also frequent.
Each of the individuals found to have malaria is treated in accordance to the national treatment guidelines and according to the Vector Control Director, medication is usually made available to patients at no cost by the Public Health Sector.
Dr Rahman disclosed that once persons found to have malaria adhere to their treatment regiment, they are expected to have a full recovery.
“Basically, once you drink your tablets you will eliminate or kill the parasites in your body, and once that happens it is no more in your body.”
However, he cautioned that the malaria parasite could in fact return if the formerly affected individual is again bitten by the transmitting vector which could result in the parasite multiplying, thereby leading to the repeat manifestation of malaria.
“It is a completely curable disease and therefore can be eliminated completely once done correctly and in the right settings,” Dr Rahman intimated.
“We have done a lot of work and we have had a lot of accomplishments,” boasted Dr Rahman even as he divulged that there is yet a great deal more to be done in the quest to continually tackle the vector-borne disease. He noted that not only is there need for the creation of structures to better carry out the work of the Unit, but there is also need for a lot more collaboration.
“We do get some support from individuals as we do our work, but we also need more organisations to come on board with us…We have a lot of people who make promises, but we actually need those promises to be fulfilled from both public and private sectors,” added Dr Rahman.
With additional support, he is convinced that Guyana is poised to suppress malaria even further this year.
And in the quest to control the disease, Dr Rahman said that the Unit will continue to focus on the distribution of impregnated mosquito nets. During the past year more than 40, 000 of these nets were distributed and according to the Vector Control Director, “we are going to embark on distributing a further 40,000 to 50, 000 thousand this year.”
And such efforts, according to him, will be concentrated on the “hotspot” localities throughout the country. Moreover, particular focus is slated to be directed to mining communities where the most at-risk individuals, including miners, pregnant women, the elderly and children will be provided with bed nets.