Health Ministry hands over 17,300 treated nets to Region Nine

-at launch of anti-malaria campaign 

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony on Monday handed over 17,300 insecticide-treated nets to the Region Nine Administration to curb malaria transmission in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo.  

At a simple ceremony to launch the anti-malaria campaign in the Region, Minister Anthony said the Government has invested significant sums to procure the 14, 400 bed nets, and 2,900 nets for hammocks. The ceremony was held at the Amerindian Hostel in Lethem.

“The bed nets that we are giving out is a specially designed net that has insecticide that is embedded into the net and therefore, when a mosquito lights on this bed net, they would actually absorb the insecticide and it would die and by so doing we are going to reduce the population of mosquitoes.”

The insecticide remains on the nets for three years, even if they are washed.  He said all the villages in Region Nine will benefit from a quantity of nets.

“I understand that we have 57 villages to go to make sure that we cover the entire Region. So, we will be working in tandem to make sure this happens.”

Dr. Anthony said malaria remains a major challenge in Region Nine. In 2020, the Region recorded 954 positive cases and 739 cases the previous year. Between January and April 2021, some 349 cases have already been recorded.

Dr. Anthony said in 2020, Guyana registered 18,430 cases of malaria, with most infections found in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten.

“We deliberately choose around this time because we know during the rainy season that you have pockets of water, sometimes it’s stagnant and this provides the breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

And if we’re going to have breeding grounds for mosquitoes, well one way that we can prevent malaria from spreading is to have bed nets and that’s what we’re trying to do.

He urged the regional authorities to distribute the nets as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr. Nial Uthman said the Region is taking every step to eradicate malaria.

“I urge all of us to embrace this effort, to spread the word as we would commonly say, to ensure that not only the members of our family, but our neighbours, our friends embrace this campaign.

And ensure that they utilise the mosquito nets so that we can achieve not only this goal of eliminating malaria by the year 2025, but ensuring that we can, as you know health is delivered in a well-coordinated and integrated manner, but this will contribute significantly to other diseases [reduction] in the Region.”

The RHO said the goal of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is achievable, with the distribution of the nets being the first step.

Additionally, Regional Executive Officer (REO), Mr. Karl Singh advised residents to remove all tins, tyres and drums from their properties to reduce the incidence of creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Mr. Singh also encouraged persons collecting the nets to immunise themselves against COVID-19.

“We can link the two. So, as you collect the net you also have a vaccine; you also take the vaccine,” he said.

Last Monday Minister Anthony rolled out the anti-malaria campaign in Region One.

The Ministry has already purchased 95,000 treated nets to distribute to persons living in regions with high incidence of the disease.

Region Nine Chairman, Mr. Brian Allicock and Mayor of Lethem, Mr. John Macedo also attended the launch.