Freedom of movement lends to sustained health risks – Minister Lawrence

May 28, 2017 News

Guyana’s vast borders coupled with the freedom of movement of especially the peoples of the

Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence

Amazons have contributed to Guyana being faced with the ever-growing threat of the introduction of new diseases such as Chikungunya and Zika.
This situation has been known to allow for the re-emergence of known diseases such as yellow fever, measles and cholera.
This state of affairs was amplified by Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence, as she participated in a round table discussion at the ongoing 70th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Minister told her counterparts at the forum, “As a tropical developing country, we also have the right conditions for the re-establishment of the transmission of vectors, mainly the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, and the environmental conditions for the propagation of these diseases.”
She said too that the challenges in providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene have the potential of complicating control measures and the impact of climate change and irregular and unusual weather such as flooding and droughts, can lead to conditions that rapidly lead to outbreaks.”
At the forum the Minister also highlighted that the ever present threat of illicit trade in narcotics and other harmful substances to health, along with the movement of weapons and persons with ill intent [criminals] places a heavy burden on the demand for health services to address problems of addiction and forms of violence experienced in society.
“The magnitude of the ever-growing problem of anti-microbial resistance and the movement of substandard pharmaceuticals and other chemicals are still unknown in many countries including mine.”
Minister Lawrence moreover emphasized that “these risks to global security have the potential, at the global, regional and national levels, to take away all the important strides made in implementing Primary Health Care in our countries, if measures are not instituted immediately.”
“They can reduce the already scarce resources including financing for contingencies and cause severe brain drain of our health professionals.”
The Minister therefore suggested that moves be urgently made to implement the International Health Regulations (2005), in the areas of disease surveillance and laboratory capacity for detection of emerging pathogens including antimicrobial resistance organisms. She also stressed the need to encourage the global production of vaccines by Commonwealth countries, especially against yellow fever and measles, making these available through the pooled procurement mechanism such as the Pan American Health Organisation Revolving Fund and building capacity to respond to chemical and nuclear threats.
Minister Lawrence underscored the need for full participation of all the security agencies operating in the Commonwealth along with the organisations that focus on control and monitoring, to work closely with the Ministries of Health in addressing these issues.
“I do seek the support of the Secretariat to facilitate the collaboration,” said Minister Lawrence as she added, “These measures I am sure will help us all in addressing our role in Global Security.”
Global security issues have continued to threaten health in many diverse ways, and put the people of the world at risk of contracting diseases that were thought to be under control. These diseases have the potential of causing adverse health outcomes for other exposures and effects and could also create a situation whereby persons are deprived of essential medicines and medical care.