APNU calls for collaborative approach to tackle rise in dengue infections

Jun 30, 2024 News

Kaieteur News – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Saturday called for a collaborative approach among the relevant stakeholders to be quickly undertaken to tackle the rise in Dengue infections.

In a statement, Shadow Minister of Health Dr. Karen Cummings said that the incidence of Dengue has increased over the past four decades and that the highest number of cases has been noted in the Americas.

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO 2024) has reported that the Americas recorded the largest proportion of the global burden in 2023, registering more than 4.1 million new infections.

“The Guyanese population notes the valiant efforts being made by the Ministry of Health to secure vaccines to arrest the dengue transmission and the engaging of technical partners and stakeholders such as the Pan American Health Organization to build the capacity of health care professionals to manage clinically the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector of dengue,” Dr. Cummings said.

Notwithstanding, she questioned whether the Ministry of Health is “prepared to avert a major public health crisis” given climate change.

The Dengue virus, an arthropode-borne virus of the genus Flavivirus family presents as four different serotypes (DEN -1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN- 4).

Dengue is a common tropical infection transmitted to man by the Aedes mosquito and occurs from dawn to dusk. There is Dengue Fever and the Dengue Hemorrhagic Syndrome which can progress to Dengue Shock Syndrome. The general symptoms of Dengue include high fever, severe headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia and arthralgia (muscle and joint) and a rash to the face or thorax-chest.

Dr. Cummings explained that Dengue Hemorrhagic fever manifests itself with vomiting- hematemesis or as hematochezia (blood or blood in the stool), abdominal pain and difficulty in breathing. The Dengue Shock Syndrome occurs when the circulatory system fails, and is usually accompanied by tiredness, restlessness, irritableness, shock, organ impairment and death.

“With 2,852 cases being positive and 265 persons needing hospitalization, with two deaths recorded eight weeks ago, and with 60 percent of the regions affected by the vector borne disease are cause for concern. With the recent death of an eleven-year-old child in Bartica, as reported 72 hours ago, seventy percent of our administrative regions have now been placed on the dengue alert,” she said noting that there must be strategic efforts to involve the meteorology department to inform of the meteorological factors such as temperature fluctuations, the pattern of rainfall, and the vector ecology.

“The One Health Concept, which recognizes the intrinsic link that connects human health directly to the health of animals and the environment, must not only be adopted but practised.”

Further, Dr. Cummings said that it has been well established that the Dengue mosquitoes are susceptible to temperature changes and rises – a range between 20 to 35 degrees Celsius.

Pointing to climate change, the Opposition Member said that owing to the vectorial capacity, there are now higher biting rates, more transmission, and more feeds.

“Other drivers that can affect the vector competence will include land use changes and agricultural practices in urban settings, and a breakdown of public health. These players provide conditions for a wider spatial distribution, increase frequency, intensity, severity, and create the dynamics for increasing contact rates.”

She said it would be foolhardy to think that the recent floods in Linden in Region #10, and in Region #5, will not create the opportunity for the vector- borne disease. As such, the APNU is calling for better prevention and control that is inter-sectoral and involves the family and the community; stronger focus on Public Education and Awareness of this Vector-Borne Disease to include the reduction of breading sites and on personal protection; to ensure that repellants and mosquito nets are provided free of cost to the populace.

Additionally, Dr. Cummings said that there should be One Health Surveillance while noting that Guyana may also need to revisit the legislation on legal and illegal trade of wild- life and the legislation to protect Wildlife.

“There must be sustainable vector control. There must be scheduled fogging. The environmental units of all Municipalities should have access to chemicals and fogging machines. Where is the action plan to help curb this mosquito-borne disease, Health Minister, the Honourable Dr. Frank Anthony?”

Dr. Cummings pointed to the inoperable fogging machine in Region 8 and the need for the government to make a “concerted effort to reduce morbidity by 25 percent and the mortality of Dengue by 50 percent long before 2030.”

Meanwhile, in the June 23, 2024 edition of the Stabroek News, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony was quoted as saying that Guyana has recorded, at the time, four Dengue deaths since January and 398 hospitalisations.

In the article captioned, “Anthony says four Dengue deaths recorded since January, 398 hospitalised” Dr. Anthony said “some 18,581 dengue tests have been conducted since January and 4,703 positive cases were recorded”.

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