Opposition says better screening policy could have prevented chickenpox outbreak at Lusignan Prison

Mar 27, 2024 News

Opposition Shadow Health Minister, Dr. Karen Cummings

Kaieteur News – Opposition Shadow Minister of Health, Dr. Karen Cummings on Tuesday said that the Chickenpox outbreak at the Lusignan Prison located on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) could have been prevented had better screening policies been in place.

“The coalition confidently expresses that there should have been better screening policies and tools to indicate evidence of varicella immunity especially for incoming inmates who are in the care of the State”, Cummings said in a press statement. She added, “Special attention should also have been paid to the staff members and the inmates who are susceptible and are in close quarters where transmission and spread of the disease could easily occur”.

Cummings pointed out that 130 million dollars was approved by parliamentarians in the 2024 budget to improve the operations and efficiency at the prisons but notwithstanding these substantial outlays there continues to be an increase in the incidence of Chickenpox”. “It has been noted with worry that there are 25 active cases and 28 cases in recovery” Cummings said while adding “the APNU/AFC Coalition believes that this is a clear signal of the lack of competence of the PPP/C Government and its disinterest in the wellbeing of the Guyanese people from all walks of life.”

“It is imperative that there be better coordination between the Ministry of Public Health and the Minister of Home Affairs to combat the incidence and reduce the impact of this infectious and any other re-emerging diseases”, Cummings added.

She said too that valiant efforts must be made to isolate the patients or rather susceptible persons, to disinfect contaminated surfaces, quarantine infected persons, protect workers, investigate the source of infection, and avoid overcrowding.

These measures are very important, Cummings said while warning that if not adhered to, it can result serious consequences especially if it prevents remanded inmates from attending their court cases. On Friday the Guyana Prison Service said that the outbreak was under controlled and that infected individuals were quarantined. The prison service said too that it is taking steps to identify the source of contact that might have caused the outbreak and has implemented measures to prevent it from spreading further.

Those measures include; administration of medication such as Acyclovir and Calamine Lotion, increased sanitation frequency, carried out three times daily, sunning out of mattresses and clothing, sterilisation of eating utensils and personal items, vaccination protocols and daily medical assessments.

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chickenpox, Lusignan Prison, opposition, outbreak, prevented

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