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Source: http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news...--13-13--.html
Guyana's health ministry taking proactive measures against H1N1
Published on Friday, June 12, 2009
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Guyana?s Ministry of Health here is taking further protective measure to minimize the possibility of an outbreak of the influenza like virus H1N1 Virus here.
Health minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said on Thursday his ministry has for some time now responded as if the country was in a Level 6 situation. Consistent with this position, the Ministry of Health of Guyana has argued that the emergence of H1N1 in Guyana is inevitable, that it is a matter of time before the first case.
His comments came as the WHO on Thursday announced the elevation of H1N1 to pandemic status (moving from level 5 to level 6). This means that H1N1 is now seen as a global spread of the infection.
This is the first influenza pandemic for this new millennium.
Dr Ramsammy said, since the emergence of H1N1 in Mexico in March, his ministry , through the national Pandemic Influenza Committee, has put into place a number of mechanisms to prevent the entry of H1N1 into Guyana and or to contain any outbreak that might occur.
These mechanisms he said, will be enhanced further in the coming days to avert the appearance of H1N1. "We concede, however, given the rapid and global spread of H1N1, we might only be able to delay the appearance. In spite of this, we are working to delay the appearance of H1N1 for as long as possible," he said.
?At our borders, particularly our airports and seaports, we will now implement a more intrusive monitoring mechanism. In the past we relied completely on the airlines and shipping authorities to inform us of any health problem a passenger or staff member might have encountered during traveling. This strategy will now change and we will require all passengers and staff members to provide more detailed, individual health and travel information before entry into Guyana. All persons entering Guyana will be required to fill out the Health Declaration Forms before presenting themselves to the immigration officers,? the minister said.
Port health staff at the airport, seaports and at land crossings will require all persons entering to fill these forms, providing detailed information relating to recent and present incidences of influenza-like symptoms and fever and recent travel history.
?We are aware that this will further add to the number of things travelers must do in order to enter Guyana, but we believe this is necessary to protect the travelers and the Guyanese public,? Ramsammy said, adding that there measures may require the authorities to subject travelers to medical examination and also require laboratory testing and even persons being placed under observation and medication and prophylactic treatment.
The Ministry of Health is presently engaged in strengthening staffing at these port health facilities in order to effectively implement these additional measures.
?Up to now we have required all health facilities, public and private, to report on influenza-like cases. As of today, we have moved to requiring all health facilities and providers to notify the Ministry on any SARI (severe acute respiratory infection). The information must include detailed medical and personal information. This is a requirement and all health care providers must on a daily basis both report and provide notification of all serious acute respiratory infections,? Ramsammy added
The Ministry of Health has also issued an advisory that the routine good hygiene practices must be complied with including frequent hand-washing with soap and water.
?We encourage persons to acquire anyone of the hand sanitizers that are commercially available. We also discourage persons to engage in frequent hand-shaking and other forms of touching people in public. Above all else, people must cover their mouths and faces when coughing and all persons should stay clear of persons who are openly coughing without taking adequate measures to cover their faces,? the advisory said .
?We advise persons with fever and acute respiratory infections, such as cough and cold to seek medical attention at the nearest health center, hospital or at any health care provider. The following symptoms such arouse people?s suspicion and are used as part of the Ministry of Health Index of Suspicion,? the health minister said
The Ministry of Health has in its possession more than 30,000 doses of Tamiflu for use in case of an H1N1 outbreak.
Guyana's health ministry taking proactive measures against H1N1
Published on Friday, June 12, 2009
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Guyana?s Ministry of Health here is taking further protective measure to minimize the possibility of an outbreak of the influenza like virus H1N1 Virus here.
Health minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said on Thursday his ministry has for some time now responded as if the country was in a Level 6 situation. Consistent with this position, the Ministry of Health of Guyana has argued that the emergence of H1N1 in Guyana is inevitable, that it is a matter of time before the first case.
His comments came as the WHO on Thursday announced the elevation of H1N1 to pandemic status (moving from level 5 to level 6). This means that H1N1 is now seen as a global spread of the infection.
This is the first influenza pandemic for this new millennium.
Dr Ramsammy said, since the emergence of H1N1 in Mexico in March, his ministry , through the national Pandemic Influenza Committee, has put into place a number of mechanisms to prevent the entry of H1N1 into Guyana and or to contain any outbreak that might occur.
These mechanisms he said, will be enhanced further in the coming days to avert the appearance of H1N1. "We concede, however, given the rapid and global spread of H1N1, we might only be able to delay the appearance. In spite of this, we are working to delay the appearance of H1N1 for as long as possible," he said.
?At our borders, particularly our airports and seaports, we will now implement a more intrusive monitoring mechanism. In the past we relied completely on the airlines and shipping authorities to inform us of any health problem a passenger or staff member might have encountered during traveling. This strategy will now change and we will require all passengers and staff members to provide more detailed, individual health and travel information before entry into Guyana. All persons entering Guyana will be required to fill out the Health Declaration Forms before presenting themselves to the immigration officers,? the minister said.
Port health staff at the airport, seaports and at land crossings will require all persons entering to fill these forms, providing detailed information relating to recent and present incidences of influenza-like symptoms and fever and recent travel history.
?We are aware that this will further add to the number of things travelers must do in order to enter Guyana, but we believe this is necessary to protect the travelers and the Guyanese public,? Ramsammy said, adding that there measures may require the authorities to subject travelers to medical examination and also require laboratory testing and even persons being placed under observation and medication and prophylactic treatment.
The Ministry of Health is presently engaged in strengthening staffing at these port health facilities in order to effectively implement these additional measures.
?Up to now we have required all health facilities, public and private, to report on influenza-like cases. As of today, we have moved to requiring all health facilities and providers to notify the Ministry on any SARI (severe acute respiratory infection). The information must include detailed medical and personal information. This is a requirement and all health care providers must on a daily basis both report and provide notification of all serious acute respiratory infections,? Ramsammy added
The Ministry of Health has also issued an advisory that the routine good hygiene practices must be complied with including frequent hand-washing with soap and water.
?We encourage persons to acquire anyone of the hand sanitizers that are commercially available. We also discourage persons to engage in frequent hand-shaking and other forms of touching people in public. Above all else, people must cover their mouths and faces when coughing and all persons should stay clear of persons who are openly coughing without taking adequate measures to cover their faces,? the advisory said .
?We advise persons with fever and acute respiratory infections, such as cough and cold to seek medical attention at the nearest health center, hospital or at any health care provider. The following symptoms such arouse people?s suspicion and are used as part of the Ministry of Health Index of Suspicion,? the health minister said
The Ministry of Health has in its possession more than 30,000 doses of Tamiflu for use in case of an H1N1 outbreak.