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monDay, june 9, 2014| guyanatimesGY.com
Guyana ups fight against Chikungunya in Berbice – Region Six staff receiving training in use of fogging machines
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he Vector Control Services (VCS) of the Ministry of Health has commenced training for staff of the Region Six Regional Office in the area of functioning and correct usage of fogging machines along with troubleshooting. According to the Director of VCS Dr. Reyaud Rahman, this initiative will see approximately 12 individuals undergoing training in this area. This is due to the fact that the VCS team that is currently in Berbice and have been doing fogging and spraying will conclude their activities in the region tomorrow. However, after the team’s departure the responsibility of fogging and spraying of the area will be in the hands of the staff of the Regional office, hence the reason for the training. In addition, the Ministry has also commenced training for individuals working with chemicals during fogging exercises in Regions Five and Six, due to the close relationship that they share, resulting in a more heightened approach to prevent the disease from spreading.
Employees of the Vector Control Services (VCS) of the Health Ministry during a fogging exercise
These include persons who will be involved in conducting spraying exercises, mixing of chemicals, along with any other functions related to this aspect of work. The Ministry has also been working closely with the Neighborhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and the Regional Executive Officers (REO)
in a collaborative effort to help prevent the disease from spreading. There is also a very strong public awareness campaign, as representatives of the Ministry have been doing a lot of sensitisation on the disease countrywide and is in the middle of the process of creating new posters and flyers with the help of
China’s growth moderates with continued economic transformation – World Bank
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hina’s growth will moderate over the medium-term as the economy continues to rebalance gradually. Growth is expected to slow to 7.6 per cent in 2014, and 7.5 per cent in 2015, from 7.7 per cent in 2013, according to the World Bank’s China Economic Update released. “The rebalancing will be uneven reflecting tensions between structural trends and near term demand management measures,” said Chorching Goh, lead Economist for China. China’s economic growth is gradually slowing as the structural transformation of the economy continues. The slowdown in the first quarter reflected a combination of dissipating effects of earlier measures to support growth, a weak external environment, and tighter credit, especially for real estate. However, economic activity, including industrial production, has shown signs of a pick-up in recent weeks. The recent accel-
eration, which is likely to continue into the next two quarters, reflects robust consumption, a recovery of external demand, and new growth supporting measures, including infrastructure investments and tax incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises. The China Economic Update, a regular assessment of China’s economy, identifies several risks to this gradual adjustment. First, a disorderly deleveraging of local Government debt could trigger a sharp slowdown in investment growth. Second, an abrupt change in the cost of, or access to, capital for such sectors as real estate could significantly reduce economic activity. Finally, the recovery in exports may not materialise if growth in advanced countries weakens. The update notes that the policy responses to these medium-term risks should centre on fiscal and financial sector reforms, which were part of the Government’s re-
form agenda outlined in November 2013. These include effectively managing and supervising rapid credit growth, especially in the shadow banking system, and gradually reducing the local Government debt that has been accumulated through off-budget and quasi-fiscal activities. “The proposed reform measures are structural in nature,” observes Karlis Smits, Senior Economist and main author of the update. “In the mediumterm, these policy measures will improve the quality of China’s growth – making it more balanced, inclusive and sustainable and lay the foundation for sound economic development.” While these reforms may reduce growth in the short run, policies that promote competition, lower entry barriers to protected sectors and reduce administrative burden on businesses will help dampen the impact, and create a more market-oriented economy.
the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to further educate the public about the disease. Last week, Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran reported that around 15 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed thus far. Dr Ramsaran said the discovery was made after 130 blood samples were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), in Trinidad, for testing. The samples were sent
after individuals showed signs of the illness. He said Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud has established a case definition for the illness based on which hospitals took samples of individuals who fit the case definition, and sent them to the institute to be tested. An additional 82 suspected cases have been identified by the New Amsterdam Hospital as they suit the case definition. The 11 cases reported earlier from New Amsterdam and Port Mourant, indicated that the disease has now spread even further across the region. Prior to this confirmation, two cases were found, one a toddler, and another a woman who is said to be in her 40s, from Cumberland and Canefield, Canje, Region Six. This resulted in the Ministry heightening its Vector Control Services (VCS) in the region, placing emphasis on fogging and spraying. These efforts will now be further enhanced, through an expansion in the team and more work done with regard to spraying and fogging. The Ministry has already identified the ports
of entry for strict monitoring. Health centres have been alerted and have available medication for the effective treatment of any vector-borne disease. Dr Ramsaran said no trace of the disease has yet been observed in West Berbice, but Region Five is on alert and has shown great cooperation in the fight. Fogging exercises are currently ongoing in the capital city. Chikungunya is an arthropod-borne virus that is transmitted to humans by the virus-carrying Aedes Aegypti mosquito. It is transmitted in similar manner to dengue fever and causes an illness with an acute febrile phase lasting two to five days. It can result in some longterm effects, primarily joint pain, and causes moderate to severe illness. Depending on an individual’s body reaction after the incubation period, persons may experience pain even after seeking medical attention. This period can last from two to six days with symptoms lasting four to seven days after infection. Individuals experiencing any such symptoms are asked to visit a health facility as soon as possible. Individuals are also asked to remove all containers that may retain water and breed mosquitoes.