| Everyone is aware of the annoyance mosquitoes create however, what is important is the drastic change in a person’s health a simple mosquito bite can cause. Guyana is well known for its vast forests where many males engage in mining and logging,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, and while these activities contribute to the well-being of many Guyanese and development of the economy, malaria poses a challenge.Over the years malaria has become a major public health problem in many countries, and in Guyana, Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 are the areas where the disease is prevalent.In the 1940s and 1950s more than one-third of the Guyanese patients in hospitals and almost 20 percent of all deaths were due to malaria. The renowned malaria scientist, George Giglioli, used DDT to stop malaria on the coast of Guyana, where almost 90 percent of the population lives, and as a result of that intervention, now, over 60 years later, malaria has not returned to the coast.The average number of malaria cases in Guyana annually between 1991 and 1998 was approximately 48,805, and in response to that government’s efforts in 1999 and 2000 were directed at reducing the numbers.Malaria typesMalaria is a disease caused by the presence of very small parasites in the blood. It is spread by the ‘anopheles’ mosquito however, the disease is both preventable and treatable.There are three different types of malaria in Guyana: plasmodium falciparum,Brad Richards Red Wings Jersey, plasmodium vivax, and plasmodium malariae. Over 50 percent of the malaria cases in Guyana are of the most serious form – plasmodium falciparum. There are also cases of persons having a ‘mixed malaria infection’, a combination of the three types.Symptoms/treatmentMalaria symptoms occur at least seven to nine days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and include symptoms such as fever, chills, sweats,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, headache, body aches, nausea and vomiting and fatigue. Malaria may also cause anemia and jaundice. Importantly, the plasmodium falciparum infection if not promptly treated, may cause kidney failure,Throwback Jerseys, coma and even death.This disease can recur after treatment for three reasons, and is as a result of when parasites are not cleared by treatment, where re-infection indicates complete clearance with new infection established from a separate infective mosquito bite; however both can occur with any malaria parasite species.With regards to available treatment, the Health Ministry is working towards removing substandard malaria drugs from the market, principally in hinterland areas. The Ministry recognises there is a need for malaria treatment in the hinterland, and that there is a certain degree of ignorance and people sometimes are fooled by buying unauthorised drugs.Drugs such as Quartem are authorised and certified by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and Guyana has an abundance of such drugs, hence persons are advised against purchasing inferior drugs.It is important to note that malaria is preventable through the use of medications, mosquito eradication and the prevention of bites.Globally, while many countries have eradicated malaria, they are seeing an increasing number of imported malaria cases owing to extensive travel and migration. Social responsibilityCitizens’ activities also play a role in preventing the spread of malaria, and in this regard, community participation and health education strategies promoting awareness of malaria and the importance of control measures have been successfully used to reduce the incidence of malaria in some areas of the developing world.Since Guyana signed onto the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), overall records indicate steady progress towards this sixth MDG of combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Reports show positive news for malaria control, with prevalence rates confirming that the country has succeeded in meeting the target of reducing the incidence of the disease.Decline in malaria casesThe prevalence of malaria has decreased from 5,NFL Jerseys China Online,084 per 100,000 persons in 2005 to 1,541 per 100,000 persons in 2008. This improvement can be attributed to successes in prevention efforts, as well as in the detection and treatment of contracted cases. The priorities include improving compliance with treatment, and overcoming the logistical difficulties associated with detection, treatment and monitoring of interventions.Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) have been shown to be highly effective vector control interventions in preventing malaria morbidity and mortality among children in malaria-endemic settings.In 2010, the Ministry of Health introduced a new alternative, the BTI bacteria to reduce the mosquito population. The BTI bacteria – Bacillus Thuningiensis Irsaelensis, is able to kill 72 species of mosquito larvae, when released into mosquito breeding areas. The initiative not only focuses on the malaria mosquito,Deion Sanders Falcons Jersey, but on all vector borne diseases.The Ministry obtained the services of a vector control specialist from the University of Peru to carry out the project with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and is managed the Canadian Centre for Minerals and Energy Technology (CANMET).This new method is fairly cheap and easy to use by communities, and thus far, has been tested in Bushlot, Region 5 and Micobie, Region 8 with positive responses from the communities.The ministry has been continuously encouraging citizens to appropriately discard tyres, unwanted containers, and to keep their surroundings clean; in an effort to reduce the mosquito population. Capacity buildingRecently the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) held a training programme for 25 medical technicians in malaria microscopy, and is seen as a major investment in strengthening its response to diagnosis and treatment of malaria in Guyana.This training comes in response to the need for an early diagnosis and early treatment of malaria. Training technicians as microscopists would enable the jump-starting of a new and efficient system of diagnosing and treating persons at the GPHC Emergency Room and other health facilities in the regions.(a GINA feature) |
