Focus on miners, loggers as memorandum inked to eliminate malaria by 2030

Through this approach, Dr Anthony said treatment for an individual with malaria is being made simple.

“We hope by doing this we will be able to make more diagnosis, make them quicker, we will be able to treat people, get people to be more compliant and once all these things happen we will be closer to eliminate malaria from the country,” Dr Anthony noted.

In terms of prevention, a number of insecticide treated bed nets and hammock nets were handed over to be distributed to all mining and logging camps.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat said for too long malaria has plagued the mining and logging sectors.

While there has been a reduction in malaria cases especially in the logging sector, Bharrat said there are still existing challenges which including weather conditions and labour shortage.

“Our labour force is very critical to ensure that we keep the mining sector alive.

“The future for the mining sector is bright… If we already have a shortage with labour and then we have to deal with sick workers then that is even a bigger challenge,” he said.

Meanwhile, in her remarks, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S Embassy, Adrienne Galanek said the ground breaking initiative will put Guyana in the lead on innovative approaches to reach the most vulnerable with malaria service where it is most needed.

“We are at a critical point in this fight. Globally, the population at risk of Malaria has doubled since 2000. Drug resistant, insecticide resistance and basic mosquito strains are the key tools we have used to protect people and save lives.

“We must look to address these challenges but also beyond them to adapt, identify new opportunities and ramp up our efforts to end this disease that cut young lives short and devastate families and communities,” she said.