being retrofitted

from Guyana Times -- Tuesday, December 1, 2020

2nd

NEWS9 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Local facilities being retrofitted to store COVID-19 vaccines – Health Ministry

…as 30 new cases recorded

facilities for vaccines and we have been doing an assessment of the regional storage facilities that we have. We’ll be upgrading all of them to ensure that they have the capacity to be able to manage a COVID-19 vaccine,” he shared.

Along with the expansion, freezers and power units will be added to ensure that the vaccines are kept at the designated temperature.

“Within the next few weeks, all these facilities will be upgraded, expanded in some cases, because we need additional space and we will be adding new freezers, appropriate for the type of vaccines that we will be getting. In some cases, we will have to do some power upgrades. We’ll have to keep these vaccines at a certain temperature and if in some cases we need backup generators, then we need to put those in place as well,” Dr Anthony said.

Last week, AstraZeneca revealed that its COVID-19 vaccine is around 90 per cent effective, cheaper to produce and there are no issues with distribution. Moreover, 700 million doses could be produced in the first quarter of 2021.

This comes after Pfizer and Moderna would have achieved 95 per cent effectiveness in the clinical trials of their vaccines. They have applied for emergency authorisation use from the US Food and Drug Administration, and this permission can give the greenlight for December production. With these vaccines, cold chain storage is required.

AstraZeneca’s vaccine does not require a cold chain, making it easier to use with the existing infrastructure. The Minister had indicated last week that while it is “promising”, authorities are awaiting more information from the detailed studies. Overall, the number of potential vaccines under various trials present many options. (G12)

Guyana has reported an increase of 30 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which raised the overall positive figures to 5406. Of this amount, however, 4392 patients have completely recovered.

Locally, 2786 males and 2620 females have contracted the virus ever since it was first detected here on March 11.

With 151 deaths, there are three persons in the Intensive Care Unit, 63 persons in institutional isolation, 797 in home isolation and 31 in institutional quarantine.

A breakdown showed that two new cases were detected in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), four in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), two in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), 16 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), five in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and one in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Five (Demerara-Mahaica), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) remain at 848; 40; 180 and 379 respectively.

Orealla and Siparuta villages in Region Six had recently experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases. Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said there are approximately 49 cases in Siparuta and 31 in Orealla.

A medical team is on the ground. He pointed out that before the active cases drop, there will be a slight increase in the area. Lockdown and imposed travel restrictions continue until there is some positive indication that persons are no longer at risk.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Monday disclosed that the Intensive Care Unit of the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, is finally operationalised, and patients desiring such medical care have since been transferred.

These patients were transferred from GPHC to the new facility – which has a capacity for 29 severely-ill persons.

“As of Friday, what we’ve been able to do is transfer all the ICU patients that we have at GPHC over to the Ocean View facility. We have the capacity there that is much larger than GPHC. GPHC was catering for about 15 patients. At Ocean View, we have capacity for 25 patients,” Dr Anthony shared.

It has been some weeks since the Ministry was working to fully operationalise the ICU facility. While there were some delays in the past, all equipment and instalments are completed.

“It took us a while to get the ICU up and running but all the things that were necessary for an ICU are now in place and we currently have at Ocean View in the Infectious Diseases ICU, 14 patients.”

Vaccine storage

As companies move closer to start producing a vaccine for COVID-19, the Health Ministry is also working to get all storage facilities in order, in preparation for the vaccine distribution.

Dr Anthony shared that a team has been dispatched to inspect bonds, and where necessary, upgrades will be made.

“We have regional storage

10 NEWS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM GA-FDD seizes climate-unsuitable, incorrectly-labelled drugs from 11 pharmacies

The Government Analyst – Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has seized and removed a quantity of climate unsuitable and foreign labelled drugs from 11 pharmacies in Georgetown, the Department said in a statement.

The Department also used the opportunity to remind the general public, especially importers and retailers engaged in the importation, marketing and distribution of medicines not locally produced of the relative laws associated with them. It also reminded of the zoning of medication for specific climates.

The climatic zones are as follows: Zone I - Temperate (eg Canada and Germany), II -Mediterranean/ Subtropical (eg Chile and Turkey), III - Hot/dry (eg Chad and Iraq), IVa - hot/ humid (eg Jamaica and Pakistan) and IVb - hot/very humidity (eg Guyana, India and Brazil). Information on zoning can be found on the World Health Organisation (WHO) website.

The GA-FDD reminded that during the formulation process, manufacturers determine the medicine’s, stability, shelf-life and expiry date according to the climatic zone. Therefore, parameters such as the medicine’s stability, quality, efficacy or safety, cannot be guaranteed if it is sold outside the intended zone. It noted that the climatic zone for which a product is manufactured can sometimes be located on the outer package of the product or in the information leaflet. The Department said that zone differences oftentimes result in products being labelled in the language of the respective countries for which the medicine is manufactured to be marketed or distributed. The Laws of Guyana – Food and Drug Act of 1971 and Regulations of 1977, stipulate that products for the local market must be labelled in English and any product that is labelled in a foreign language is in contravention of the stipulated laws.

“Inspectors of the GAFDD recently visited in excess of eleven (11) pharmacies in Georgetown and other outlying areas where out of zone and foreign language (Turkish) labelled medicine were seized and removed from approximately ten (10) of those pharmacies. The department is expected to continue this exercise to curb this practice and enforce our labelling laws,” the Department related in a statement.

It added that no waivers will be granted for the importation of any medicine that is intended for use and sale outside of Zones IVa or IVb. It reminded that declarations must be clear to the Department regarding the intended zone or be stated on the label. The label must also be in English before those medicines can be allowed entry into Guyana.

The Department said that only medicines which have undergone the requisite stability testing and are intended for use in Zone IVa or IVb countries will be allowed to be imported into

Aremorseful 20-yearold John McKenzie was on Monday sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge, thereby admitting that on November 17, 2018, he unlawfully killed “Buckman” (only name given). McKenzie, formerly of Leopold Street, Georgetown, was initially indicted for murder. He was taken before Justice Priya SewnarineBeharry at the High Court in Demerara and opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Media reports are that the now dead man lived like a vagrant and frequented the Leopold Street, Georgetown area. According to reports, on the day in question, he was involved in an argument with McKenzie and two teenagers – who were also charged with his murder – over the sale of drugs. They are awaiting trial.

It was reported that the now dead man was stabbed multiple times. It was reGuyana.

The GA-FDD is now an accredited Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) and is therefore bound to uphold the necessary standards for document and trade facilitation. GA-FDD said there will be no facilitation of any med-

Jailed: John McKenzie

ported that McKenzie and his accomplices became annoyed after “Buckman” and a few others stopped buying drugs from them. The man died while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

A probation report was presented to the court on McKenzie. It revealed that he dropped out of school in the Fourth Form due to icine that puts that status at risk, adding that waivers will therefore be prohibited and greater scrutiny will be given to medicines emanating from countries outside of Zone Iva or IVb which can potentially put the health of

Remorseful man gets 20 years for killing vagrant

the population at risk. his learning disability. The probation officer said that teachers advised McKenzie’s mother to enrol him in a vocational school, but instead, she kept him at home to assist her with vending.

According to the probation report, he was neglected by his father when he was a toddler, and by his mother when he turned into a teenager after she moved to another region to live with her husband. The probation officer noted that at a very young age, McKenzie was left without proper parental guidance and had to fend for himself from age 13.

The probation officer highlighted that this resulted in him socialising with peers who were of questionable character and becoming engaged in delinquent activities. The probation report also noted that he grew up in a socially deprived community where persons expressed mixed sentiments about him.

TURN TO PAGE 14

20% of population suffers from mental health issues – Director

…as toll-free hotline launched

It is estimated that 20 with the coronavirus would per cent of Guyana’s later develop a psychiatric population suffers from condition. some form of mental health “One in five people who issue, which has been com- have COVID-19 are diagpounded by the COVID-19 nosed with a psychiatric global crisis. disorder, such as anxiety,

Director of the Mental depression and insomnia Health Unit, Dr Util within six months of testing Richmond-Thomas made for the virus. The pandemic this revelation on Monday, is one example where physiduring the launching of a cal illness is a stressor that toll-free hotline number ti- can lead to mental illness,” tled “Safe Space”, where she noted. the public can access assis- Apart from this, psychotance. social stresses are causing

She related that stig- an upsurge in the use of alma and discrimination have cohol and other substances played their part as hin- of abuse, specifically among drances for many persons, teenagers. The Mental preventing them from seek- Health Director shared that ing support or counselling. persons from dysfunctional Data shows that some 50 homes or those exposed to per cent of individuals with violence were at risk of dea mental health issue expe- veloping a mental illness. Director of the Mental Health rience their first episode by The list also concludes those Unit, Dr Util Richmond-Thomas 14 years of age. suffering from chronic ill-

“Due to stigma, discrim- nesses, poverty, inequali- new hotline initiative, which ination, and severe human ty, and workplace stress materialised through suprights violation of those af- among others. port from the Pan American flicted, as well as their fami- “Given the worldwide Health Organisation ly members, a large number historical neglect and un- (PAHO) and GTT. The tollof persons prefer not to ac- derfunding of mental health free number is 655-7233. knowledge their vulnerabil- and the mismatched need “It will serve as a safe ity or seek help. But wheth- for services compared to place for persons to discuss er we want to admit it or the actual provision of it, feelings and emotions trignot, the prevalence of men- and given the emergency gered by daily stressors, tal health issues is approx- of the COVID-19 pandem- help persons identify issues imately 15 to 20 per cent of ic, it is expected that the which cause emotional disthe population,” the Director need for mental health and tress and help them to deemphasised. psychosocial support ser- velop strategies and solu-

Presently, the COVID-19 vices will increase with the tions to help decrease the pandemic has added to coming months and years. severity of their symptoms,” the overwhelming impact Investment in mental health she explained. of mental problems. Dr at this moment is very criti- Health Minister, Dr Richmond-Thomas went on cal,” Dr Richmond-Thomas Frank Anthony has since to say that some one in five highlighted. pledged to ensure that the patients who was infected She went on to laud the hotline was properly managed, so that the public could benefit from quality assistance. He said it was even more essential with the high rates of suicide in Guyana’s rural communities.

“We know that if we do it right, it will save a lot of lives…One of the worst things that can happen is that we start this service now and when people call, we have some rude person at the other end of the line. We don’t want that. This is a new thing we are doing and we want the commitment from the staff to ensure that this thing is properly run,” the Health Minister stressed.

While mental health training was offered virtually for health-care workers, he pointed to the need for more such initiatives, since many doctors and nurses were unable to detect mental health cases without training.

“They’re not able to detect persons who have mental health issues. If the prevalence is one in five, then you could imagine how many people are passing through our clinics without being detected. Therefore, we need to do more training like the one we had virtually,” he noted. Sluice operator killed in East Berbice accident

Police in Region Six (East B e r b i c e Corentyne) are investigating the death of a pedal cyclist, who was struck down on the East Coast Berbice roadway on Sunday evening.

Dead is 26-yearold Ganesh Ramlackhan of Number 11 Village, ECB. Reports are the accident occurred at Bramfield Public Dead: Ganesh Ramlackhan Road, a few villages away from his home. According to the police, motor van GRR 3351 was proceeding east along the northern driveway on Bramfield Public Road when it was alleged by the driver that Ramlackhan, who was riding a bicycle at the time, proceeding the opposite direction, swerved into the path of his vehicle. The driver alleged that he tried to avoid a collision, however, the right-side rearview mirror came into contact with the pedal cyclist’s left arm, causing him to fall onto the road’s surface where he received injuries. Ramlackhan was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital and subsequentGeorgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His 29-year-old wife, Hemwattie Balkarran, has since told this publication that her husband was on his way to work when the accident occurred. Meanwhile, his colleague, Kishan Anandtram, explained that Ramlackhan rode past his house and called out to him for them to go to work. He said that he was about 300 feet behind Ramlackhan when the accident occurred. Anandtram said that the area had a power outage at the time, adding that there were two cars and a minibus on the road at the time. ly transferred to the TURN TO PAGE 16