Slash in malaria cases being validated by Chief Medical Officer

Jul 04, 2015 News

The Ministry of Health is currently in the process of validating a massive drop in malaria cases as recorded by the Vector Control Services Unit. The Unit under the leadership of Vector Control Director, Dr. Reyaud Rahman, implemented a number of measures that saw the 30,000 odd reported cases of malaria being slashed by at least half last year.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud

Although this achievement is being validated by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, during an interview with this publication yesterday said, “I can say, 2014 when compared to 2013, there has been a reduction in the number of cases and we are looking at that to make sure that those figures are accurate…although we have noticed the decline, the figures still have to be validated by the CMO,” asserted Dr. Persaud.
Explaining the monitoring process for malaria, he related that all reported cases are entered into a Malaria Information System, which the Ministry is able to maintain with the help of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).
He noted that as cases are diagnosed at the country’s diagnostic sites across the Regions – One, Seven, Eight and Nine and at the Central Malaria Clinic – the related data are fed into the Malaria Information System periodically. This usually means that on a weekly basis a report is produced and entered into the system detailing the cases that are detected and the strain of the virus is also noted.
In his validation quest the CMO is tasked with going back to each diagnostic site in the respective Regions in order to ensure that the figures there correspond with what is in the system. This undertaking, according to Dr. Persaud, “has the potential of identifying if there are any missing reports in the Malaria Information System and so on…and we are in the process of doing that right now.”
His findings thus far, seem enough for him to rate as laudable the tactics that were engaged by the Vector Control Services to tackle malaria in recent years. He noted that “the efforts have been quite strong I must say in 2013 and 2014.
“We have had some high rates…in 2012, 2013 there were some increases so some of the efforts (of the Vector Control Services) were redoubled together with Regional Health personnel to try to address these concerns.”
Among the tactics that were employed, Dr. Persaud said, was an increase in the distribution of treated mosquito nets in the endemic areas which was reflected by the end of 2013 and 2014. This was possible through the inking of Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between the Ministry and stakeholders including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association and the Guyana Women Miners Organisation.
“They received quantities of nets for all their members,” related Dr. Persaud as he made reference to increased distributions of nets in malaria prevalent areas.
Because of the Ministry’s collaboration with stakeholders, Dr. Persaud noted that “some mining companies have since mandated that each new miner has a net.”
Among the intensified efforts of the Ministry to tackle malaria has been a move to expand ‘on site’ screening and testing within mining camps. This saw the introduction of a new rapid malaria test on a trial basis which catered to testing that served to help detect cases faster and allow for immediate treatment.
This latter move, according to Dr. Persaud, was seen as a tactic to help break the transmission chain of malaria.
He therefore noted that “if you can diagnose rapidly someone with malaria and put them on treatment that helps.”
The CMO, based on his monitoring of the programme has been able to confirm that the drug, Coartem, is very effective to combat both the falciparum and vivax strains of malaria.
And according to him, the Ministry has had no real challenges in terms of the availability of drugs to ensure that patients are effectively treated after being diagnosed with malaria.
He has also observed that despite the intensified efforts to tackle malaria, there was a decline in the number of smears done in 2014 when compared to 2013.
He however noted that “if there weren’t too many people becoming ill as a result of malaria that could account for the lower number of smears, but we have to look at that again.”
He was however able to surmise yesterday that “all in all, the programme has performed better.”