| (From the Desk of the Vector Control Director, Dr Reyaud Rahman)Malaria is among Guyana’s major infectious diseases. It accounts for thousands of cases per year.Dr Reyaud RahmanTreating this disease can cost approximately US$20 per patient. This however excludes treatment of a severely ill malaria patient who requires hospital admission with the use of expensive anti-malaria medication in addition to physician and nursing care.Guyana is plagued by three types of malaria parasites – Plasmodium falciparum (P.f), Plasmodium vivax (P.v) and Plasmodium malariae (P.m.). The most dangerous type remains P. falciparum which if left untreated will kill 90 per cent of individuals who are infected. P. vivax and P. malariae are the lesser of the three evils and patients mostly exhibit very bad symptoms with them.One of the major reasons why we have malaria problems in Guyana remains the bad practice of some individuals who contract the disease as well as the conditions in the hinterland regions which are perfect for the mosquitoes to thrive and multiply. It is noted that many miners or dredge owners, especially in these locations,China Jerseys Cheap, would buy anti-malaria drugs and take it to the camps where malaria is being transmitted or where they assume malaria is being transmitted. This practice is seen as being reckless in some cases as the individual will not be aware of the type of malaria he or she has, neither will he/she know what tablets to drink and what duration he/she should drink it.It is understood that some individuals who work in deep dense jungle far away from civilization find it extremely difficult to access a health facility because it takes very long to reach the health facility (maybe days or even hours) and the terrain may even be unforgiving.But for persons in such scenarios, I would like to reassure you that we are working on bold initiatives to ensure you are covered and access the same high quality drugs and diagnostics methods available to persons in Central Georgetown.There are two types of diagnostic methods available in Guyana, but the most reliable and efficient method is malaria microscopy. It the absolute best way of making a malaria diagnosis as it will detect parasites even at a low number. For this reason it is known as the Gold Standard of malaria diagnosis.Another diagnostic method is the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). It is less reliable as it does not pick up parasites if the concentration is very low. However, it remains a versatile and easy to use testing method. RDTs are extremely easy to use for persons who do not have a lot of training. It is easy to carry around as it is light in comparison to malaria microscopy where a microscope as well as different stains and materials are essential to do a good quality test.It is strongly advised that persons in endemic regions or who have visited endemic regions (One, Seven, Eight and Nine) and present with symptoms (fever, headache, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, chills and rigors, loss of appetite or even signs of sever malaria such as difficulty breathing, dizziness,Jerseys NFL Cheap, severe weakness,Wholesale Stitched NFL Jerseys, confusion,Cheap Jerseys USA, coma,Jerseys From China, fits,Billy Price Jersey, jaundice and severe dehydration) should take a malaria smear or reliable RDT to confirm the type of malaria they are infected with and then treat with the appropriate anti-malaria medication. |
