The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Friday attended the national Malaria Memorandum of Cooperation (MMC) meeting held at the Ministry’s Headquarters on Brickdam.
The meeting focused on discussing the MMC’s contents with stakeholders identified within various ministries and agencies. Those stakeholders include the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Labour (MOL), the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Guyana Women’s Miners Organization (GWMO), Guyana Forestry Commission, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and USAID- Breakthrough Action.
The primary goal of the NMMC is geared at fostering closer cooperation among the relevant stakeholders through coordinated activities, policies, and multi-sectorial interventions aimed at reducing the malaria disease burden among affected regions in Guyana. This initiative aimed to integrate occupational safety and health (OSH) practices, ultimately contributing to scaling up efforts towards malaria elimination in Guyana.
During his engagement with the stakeholders, Minister Anthony reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment towards implementing strategies geared at eliminating malaria within the hinterland regions in Guyana. Dr Anthony announced that Vector Control Services of the Ministry of Health is working on procuring and making available rapid diagnostic test kits to individuals within the mining community.
These kits are easy to use and can be administered by persons residing in the malaria-affected regions. The Ministry of Health will continue to conduct active surveillance to ensure all malaria-positive cases are reported promptly.
In attendance at this meeting was Dr Narine Singh, Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health; Dr Reza Niles Robin, Director of the Vector Control Services (VCS); Sean Wilson Representatives from Breakthrough Action Guyana and other representatives from the VCS and the other respective agencies.
