Being P

By Lakhram Bhagirat

If Guyana awarded its teachers special prizes for going above and beyond for their students then Orissa Sinclair would be a front runner every single year because she is just that invested.

Sinclair, a teacher at the New Amsterdam Special School in Berbice, has been in the profession just about 18 years now and the passion is still there.

The 35-year-old mother of two grew up in Sandvoort Village, West Canje, with her single mother. Her father committed suicide just after she finished writing her Common Entrance Examination.

“From there the challenges grew, it was hard for my mother but she tried her best. My brothers would strip broom and stuff like that to help provide food and passage for us…so just after writing CXC, because of the circumstances I grew up in, I knew that I needed to get a job. I didn’t want to live in poverty all the time and I needed to be able to help my siblings and I also needed a better life for me, so I just started working just out of school,” she said.

She first entered into the teaching world in 2003 when she started at the David Rose Special School in Georgetown and worked there until 2013 when she moved back to Berbice and started at the New Amsterdam Special School.

There, she teaches all subjects in the primary curriculum and is also trained to teach braille to visually impaired students.

When asked about the challenges of executing her duties, Sinclair said that there are many but it is her view that not much resources are being given to the advancement of special needs education.

“Much is not being put into the special needs arena for me. It desires more.

To teach at a special needs school you have to have patience and you have to put a little bit more into it.

You have to devise a lot of strategies and you have to be open-minded because if you are not open-minded then you will find it difficult. Like communicating and so for me was difficult at first because I didn’t know sign language but now, I don’t practice it much but I can communicate with the children. Another issue I have is the way people talk about the children or look at them and even you as a teacher working with children, the ‘normal’ people would look at you and think funny of you because you are working with those children. They would actually ask you ‘how you able with them mad children’ and stuff but they don’t know there is a joy working with those kids. They may have a disability but they also have ability and you may be amazed at the things those kids can do. Differently abled does not mean disabled because my students are amazing,” she explained.

Though still an untrained teacher, Sinclair said that she would avail herself to attend all the workshops and training seminars to better position herself to deal specifically with the children in her care.

When asked as to how she communicate with her students during the pandemic, she said: “I use worksheets and because most of the kids in my class they don’t have access to internet so what I do is call them on the landline or cellphone. When the parents pick up the worksheet, I call them, explain to them and let their parents work with them but I check in with them periodically to see how they are coming along.”

Single parent

The reason for Sinclair moving back to Berbice was because she and her husband separated. That left her and her two daughters alone. However, she explained that while they are separated and the children live with her, her ex-husband would still play his part in supporting them.

Both of her daughters are teenagers and according to her, working and raising them requires a special kind of balance.

“You have to know how to balance. It is very challenging at times but they are at that teenage stage and it is that time that they think they know everything. I have learnt over the years that there are different ways of parenting your children so what I do now is talk to them, I mostly talk to them because as a child I didn’t have much people around to talk to. There were lots of people around yes but even though you had a lot of people around there was not a lot of people to understand you or understand what you are going through and express your feelings or advise you. There was not this family support so I try to be there for my children and I sit and talk with them and explain things to them about their actions and so,” she explained.

When asked about what advice she has for other single mothers, she related: “Life is going to be hard. It is going to be challenging and you have to stand strong and most importantly, you have to seek God. Once you have God in your life it doesn’t mean that things are going to be easy but it means that all things are possible and you will get through. Once you have that connection with him, build a relationship with him and he will see it through.

“Once you have supportive friends and family, link with them. This is where you need people that you can depend on. Don’t shut people out. Embrace people who genuinely care and when you feel stressed, find someone to talk to. As a single parent, your children are watching you, use them as your motivation to beat the odds.”

She recently graduated with her diploma in Social Work from the University of Guyana.

BREEDING COMPANION ANIMALS

– CONTINUED

Today, we will continue making some more general remarks on the matter of breeding companion animals. Although it is more directed to socalled breeders who often actually mate dogs to make dollars, the advice contained in today’s column is valid for the family that wishes to acquire pets and experience the processes of reproduction and birth. The fact that some beautiful puppies can emerge from a sensible mating regime is a meaningful bonus.

Breeding is subject to the chance of combination of genes. The smallest combination of genes which can determine a hereditary trait is a pair. One gene is inherited from each parent. When two genes combine, the dominant gene is the one that determines the trait. A recessive gene does not determine a trait unless it is combined with another recessive gene. Other combinations may be additive – that is, both genes contribute in part to the expression of the trait. Unfortunately, most traits that breeders are interested in are determined by a great many genetic pairs – which is why dog breeding is an art and not an exact science. Since a dog has 39 pairs of chromosomes and each chromosome contains more than 25,000 genes, the genetic possibilities are almost infinite.

Many undesirable hereditary traits are expressed by recessive genes. Such a gene can be carried down through many generations of offspring, causing no problem until it is combined with a like recessive gene. This is why recessive traits cannot be eliminated in one or two generations of careful breeding.

In contrast, dominant traits are seen in the first generation of puppies. Breeders easily recognize problems caused by dominant genes. By choosing not to breed such individuals, they can eliminate those traits from their breeding programme.

For these reasons, sporadic hereditary disorders are more frequently due to recessive genes.

Undesirable hereditary traits commonly seen by dog owners:

• Undescended testicles; • Extra toes; • Inguinal and navel hernias; • Abnormally short or absent tails; • Canine hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia; • Malocclusion of the jaws and incorrect bite; • Cleft palates and harelips; • Slipping kneecaps; • Immunity deficiencies; • Lowered ability to respond to stress and diseases • Quick collapse of organ function • Congenital cataracts; • Congenital deafness; • Entropion and Ectropion (rolling inwards and outwards of the eyelids); • Progressive retinal atrophy; • Behaviour disorders such as inherited (as opposed to acquired) aggression and shyness.

When one breeds two dogs with a common ancestor, the resulting litter inherits some of the same genes from each side of the parent (i.e., from the mother and the father). The consequence may be that the expression of traits is more uniform; but, also, undesirable recessive genes may thereby give rise to serious problems such as those mentioned above.

Most of the above text has been taken from a handbook authored by Drs. Carlson and Griffin.

We have kept it short today. The subject matter is complicated and quite technical. We nevertheless hope that breeders and those who wish to acquire canine companion animals have grasped the fundamental issues relative to breeding. If not, please feel free to contact us for more (specific) information.

HIV and COVID-19

Contributed by: dr Mallika Mootoo, Md PediatriCian/ HiV CliniCian St. JoSePH MerCy HoSPital

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus which causes HIV infection. The abbreviation “HIV” can refer to the virus or to HIV infection. The virus targets a person’s immune system and attacks and eventually destroys the infection -fighting CD4 cells. As more and more CD4 cells are destroyed the immune system becomes weakened, making it difficult for the body to fight off infections and certain cancers. Without treatment, HIV can gradually destroy the immune system and lead to AIDS.

A c q u i r e d Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.

HIV is transmitted through contact with HIV infected bodily fluids. It is spread mainly by having unprotected sex with

someone who has HIV, sharing a needle with an HIV infected person and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery and/or breast feeding.

HIV infection is a lifelong disease for which there is still no cure. There is, however, effective anti-HIV medication which when taken correctly, allow people with HIV to live long and healthy lives.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the use of HIV medicines to treat HIV infection. People on ART take a combination of HIV medicines every day.

ART is recommended for everyone who has HIV. ART prevents HIV from multiplying, which reduces the amount of HIV in the body (called the viral load). Having less HIV in the body protects the immune system and prevents HIV infection from advancing to AIDS. ART can’t cure HIV, but HIV medicines help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives.

ART also reduces the risk of HIV transmission. A main goal of ART is to reduce a person’s viral load to an undetectable level. An undetectable viral load means that the level of HIV in the blood is too low to be detected by a viral load test. People with HIV who maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to their HIVnegative partner through sex.

COVID-19

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARSCoV-2. The World Health Organisation (WHO) first learned of this new virus on 31 December 2019, following a report of a cluster of cases of ‘viral pneumonia’ in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China. In March 2020 the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and quickly fall on floors or surfaces.

You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within close proximity of someone who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminat-

ed surface and then your eyes, nose or mouth. To date more than 100 Million people have been infected worldwide and more than 2.2 Million people have died from this disease.

COVID-19 and HIV

We are still learning about COVID-19 and how it affects people with HIV. Based on what we know so far, we believe that people with HIV who are on effective treatment have the same risk for COVID-19 as people who do not have HIV.

Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease or obesity might be at increased risk of severe illness. Chronic smokers are also at risk for more severe disease.

People living with HIV who are either not on treatment or are not adhering to their treatment regimen have a compromised immune system and are therefore at risk of having severe disease should they be infected with SARS CoV2 virus.

This includes people with a:

Low CD4 count (<350 cells),

High viral load (>1000c/ul)

And/or a recent opportunistic infection (eg: Pulmonary Tuberculosis).

People living with HIV who are not on treatment or failing their current treatment regimen, are also more susceptible to respiratory tract infections. For this reason, it is important for HIV+ patients to remain on their medication as prescribed by their healthcare provider.

Similarily to the general population, older people with HIV who have other underlying health conditions should adhere to the prescribed treatment regimens for those conditions.

Being Prepared For COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccines

Many new vaccines have been developed to help stop the spread of this pandemic. In December 2020 several countries started giving emergency approval for the vaccines to be used. We are also hopeful that we will soon start offering vac-

cines to everyone.

The vaccines which have been approved for use are all considered safe for people living with HIV. To be approved, vaccines must pass multiple safety trials, and be reviewed by national regulators to ensure they are both safe and effective. Several of the COVID-19 vaccine trials included people living with HIV.

As with the general population, for people living with HIV, the vaccines help your body to develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 – so you are able to fight it off if exposed

Even after being vaccinated, it is important to continue to take steps to prevent COVID-19 transmission until cases of the virus have fallen to a safe level.

Key Points:

• People living with HIV and on effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) do not appear to be at greater risk of getting COVID-19. • Our understanding of the risk of developing severe COVID-19 in people living with HIV is evolving. Current evidence suggests that HIV is less of a risk factor for severe COVID-19 than other health conditions. • People living with HIV not on treatment or virally suppressed may be at a greater risk. Speak to a healthcare professional for more information on how to stay healthy. • As with the general population, older people living with HIV and those with other underlying health conditions should take extra precautions to prevent illness. • Try to have at least a 30 days’ supply of ART in your home. If possible, ask for three months.

• The current COVID-19 vaccines are believed to be safe for people living with HIV. • We are continuing to learn about COVID-19. Remember to keep in touch with your healthcare provider and follow government advice.

Article submitted as part of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 public information and education programme

HEALTH TIPS

HYPERTENSION ARTERIAL

Dr Tariq Jagnarine Fam meD, enDocrinology/ DiabeTes

This year’s theme is ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer’, focusing on combating low awareness rates worldwide, especially in low to middle income areas, and accurate blood pressure measurement methods.

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. It can lead to severe health complications and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and sometimes death.Blood pressure is the force that a person’s blood exerts against the walls of their blood vessels. This pressure depends on the resistance of the blood vessels and how hard the heart has to work.

Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and aneurysm. Keeping one’s blood pressure under control is essential for preserving health and reducing the risk of these dangerous conditions.

Hypertension is responsible for 20% to 50% of all cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, which contributes to increased health care costs.

In Guyana, hypertension is the leading cause of mortality among those between 45 and 64 years.According to the latest WHO data published in 2018 Hypertension Deaths in Guyana reached 234 or 3.94% of total deaths. The age adjusted Death Rate is 46.59 per 100,000 of population ranks Guyana #5 in the world.  Second leading cause of morbidity  2001-2011: ~ 15,000 new cases were diagnosed

 2007-2017: prevalence ↑ 32%  Women have a higher rate of death

RISK FACTORS

A number of factors increase the risk of hypertension. • Age: Hypertension is more common in people who are more than 60 years of age.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

FROM PAGE 22

HEALTH TIPS

HYPERTENSION ARTERIAL

Blood pressure can increase steadily with age as the arteries stiffen and narrow due to plaque buildup. • Ethnicity: Some ethnic groups are more prone to hypertension than others. Africans have a higher risk than other ethnic groups, • Alcohol and tobacco use: Regularly consuming large quantities of alcohol or tobacco can increase blood pressure. • Sex: According to a 2018 review, males have a higher risk of developing hypertension than females. However, this is only until after women reach menopause. • Existing health conditions: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and high cholesterol levels can lead to hypertension, especially as people age. • Obesity

Other risk factors include: • Sedentary lifestyle • Salt rich, high fat diet • Low potassium intake • Poorly managed stress and a family history of high blood pressure can also contribute to the risk of developing hypertension.

CAUSES

The cause of hypertension is often not known. In many cases, it is the result of an underlying condition.

High blood pressure that is not due to another condition or disease is called primary or essential hypertension.

If an underlying condition is the cause of increasing blood pressure, this is referred to as secondary hypertension.

Primary hypertension can result from multiple factors, including: • Blood plasma volume • Hormone activity in people who manage blood volume and pressure using medication • Environmental factors, such as stress and lack of exercise

Secondary hypertension has specific causes and is a complication of another health problem.Conditions that can lead to hypertension include: • Diabetes, due to kidney problems and nerve damage

• Kidney disease • Pheochromocytoma, a rare cancer of the adrenal gland • Cushing syndrome that corticosteroid drugs can cause • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a disorder of the cortisol-secreting adrenal glands • Hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid gland • Hyperparathyroidism, which affects calcium and phosphorous levels • Pregnancy • Sleep apnea • Obesity

SYMPTOMS

Most people experience no symptoms from hypertension and may not be aware they have it, so people often call it the “silent killer.” Without detection, hypertension can damage the heart, blood vessels, and other organs, such as the kidneys.

It is vital to check blood pressure regularly.

In rare and severe cases, high blood pressure causes:sweating, anxiety, sleeping problems, and blushing. However, most people with hypertension will experience no symptoms at all.

If high blood pressure becomes a hypertensive crisis, a person may experience headaches and nosebleeds.

SIGNS

A sphygmomanometer, or blood pressure monitor, can help people keep track of their blood pressure.

Having high blood pressure for a short time can be a normal response to many situations. Acute stress and intense exercise, for example, can briefly elevate blood pressure in an otherwise healthy person.

For this reason, a diagnosis of hypertension requires several readings that show sustained high blood pressure over time.

The AHA issued guidelines in November 2017 that define hypertension as blood pressure that is consistently higher than 130 over 80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

The systolic reading of 130 mmHg refers to the pressure as the heart pumps blood around the body. The diastolic reading of 80 mmHg refers to the pressure as the heart relaxes and refills with blood.

The AHA 2017 guidelines define the following ranges of blood pressure: Systolic (mmHg) Diastolic (mmHg)

Normal blood pressure Less than 120 Less than 80

Elevated Between 120 and 129 Less than 80

Stage 1 hypertension Between 130 and 139 Between 80 and 89

Stage 2 hypertension A t least 140-160 At least 90100

Hypertensive crisis Over 180 Over 120

If the reading indicates a hypertensive crisis, wait 2 or 3 minutes and then repeat the test. If the reading is the same or higher, this indicates a medical emergency. The person should seek immediate assistance at the nearest hospital.

This is one time that the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is particularly apt. It’s best to avoid high blood pressure altogether. Healthy lifestyle choices are a great place to start.With proper treatment and management, persons can control their blood pressure to help them live a long and healthy life.

Region 2 nurses, midwives honoured

The Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) Regional Democratic Council in collaboration with the Regional Health Services on Friday hosted a simple ceremony to honour nurses and midwives in observation of International Nurses Day 2021.

The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Nurses: A vision for Future Healthcare”.

During the ceremony, the frontline healthcare workers were particularly recognised for their tireless efforts and dedication to the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Ranjeev Singh thanked the nurses and midwives for their efforts and hard work, as he called on the public to treat these professionals with utmost respect.

The nurses and midwives were given plaques as tokens of appreciation. Plaques were also awarded to various wards with the Suddie Regional Hospital and the Oscar Joseph Hospital.

The nurses and midwives, in their remarks, expressed gratitude to the regional administration for recognising and honouring their efforts.

In attendance during the event were Administrator Shelly Ambrose; Acting Hospital Administrator, Omkar Persaud and Medical Superintendent, Dr Sheneer Reid.

Nurses and midwives attending the Nurses Day programme

SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Guyana to drive food agenda in Caribbean – Mustapha

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha has signalled at enhanced endeavours from Guyana to deliver an agricultural agenda to the Caribbean region, that will advance food security and other critical concerns.

He made these remarks at the commissioning of a new office for the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. The secretariat is now located at the Ministry of Agriculture’s La Bonne Intention (LBI) Complex, having outgrown its previous location.

Guyana is now leading a ministerial task force in the region, aimed at examining a strategy to advance food systems across various countries and moreover, mitigating current food concerns for Governments.

“Guyana is once again taking its rightful place in the region’s agenda in terms of pushing agriculture, the agricultural agenda and food security…Now, our President has put forward a document to advance the agriculture agenda and food security in the Caribbean that was again adopted by the Caricom Heads of Government. As a result of that, we have seen ministerial task force set up, which Guyana is heading and pushing. I’m very optimistic that we, with the help of FAO and other partners, we can develop a strategy to advance our food security agenda and try to see how we can resolve the issues of food problems,” Mustapha identified.

The Agriculture Minister outlined that the Caribbean Community has an import bill of some US$5-8 billion. As such, he said there is need to tap into these markets with the help of international agencies.

“We are the first country in the Caribbean that started the national dialogue, leading up to the UN Food Systems Summit that will be held in September. So, we’re driving the food systems, the food agenda and the agriculture agenda in the Caribbean. I think that Guyana has a leading role to play in all these agenda.”

With the development of new crops and aquaculture industry, he expressed that collaboration is needed from the FAO and other partners. The Ministry is also exploring non-traditional crops, with trials to commence later this year in corn and soya.

“We are now formulating a document so we can launch aquaculture because there is great potential for aquaculture in the Caribbean and North America, where we could tap into these markets. Very shortly, we will launch the masterplan and we can now formulate a strategy for our aquaculture industry,” Mustapha underscored.

Meanwhile, Country Representative from the FAO, Dr Gillian Smith said the expanded space provides the agency with better resources to assist Government with current programmes in several areas.

Dr Smith detailed, “As a UN agency, we have been embedded in the Ministry of Agriculture which is probably the closest and most important partner that we have in the Government…We have been looking at how we can support and expand the work that Government has been doing and the people of Guyana are doing in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, rural development. This building helps us to be able to support and provide the kind of work and the quality of work that is required by Guyana. It is also, I think, a recognition of the importance that Guyana is increasingly playing in the Caribbean.”

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha