| Several Regional agencies including
the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC), the Caribbean
Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), the Caribbean
Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI), the Caribbean Environment
Health Institute (CEHI), and the Pan-American Health
Organisation (PAHO) have committed to immediate health
assistance to Guyana in the wake of floods that have
affected much of the country’s coastal and rural
communities and the capital city, Georgetown.
Following an inter-agency meeting convened at the
CARICOM Secretariat, in Georgetown on Friday, 28 January
to discuss the Community’s immediate, medium
and long-term interventions, a press briefing was
held to update the media on the paramount issues pertaining
the relief effort, namely food and health safety,
availability of pure water and management of waste
disposal.
The representatives of the agencies interface with
the media followed directly on comments from CARICOM
Secretary-General H.E Edwin Carrington that in a year
when the Community planned to celebrate significant
milestones, namely the inauguration of the new CARICOM
Secretariat’s headquarters building, the implementation
of the CARICOM Single Market by there Member States
of the Community, and the inauguration of the Caribbean
Court of Justice (CCJ), just two weeks into a new
year, the Community was faced with responding to the
unprecedented flooding in Guyana.
In addressing the media following an emergency meeting
on the Regional response to the health situation in
Guyana as a result of the floods, the CARICOM Secretary-General
added that the magnitude of the environmental, social
and economic impact on Guyana was significant. He
added that the Caribbean Community would continue
to play its part.
As part of its immediate response,
Director of CAREC, Dr James Hospedales told the media
that his agency plans to assist the Guyana Government
through the strengthening of the country’s laboratory
capacity to tackle parasitic and food and water-borne
diseases. A two-member team is expected to arrive
in Guyana soon to intensify the agency’s public
education and awareness food safety programme to convey
food safety messages aimed at improving food handling
practices.
As the lead Regional disaster response
agency, CDERA has obtained a $100,000 contribution
from the CDB for the Guyana Government to assist the
most affected communities. Director of CDERA, Mr.
Jeremy Collymore said his agency has received several
Regional pledges of assistance for Guyana, and will
coordinate relief efforts with the Guyana agencies
set up to coordinate relief activities.
The Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute
(CFNI) has signalled its support for Guyana in the
areas of food safety, market access and security monitoring
especially among vulnerable groups, in light of the
daily large scale food preparation and distribution
of food to persons affected by the floods. Food Economist
of the CFNI, Dr Ballayram told the media that the
agency intends to advance a programme of public education,
with specific attention to nutritional food value
as a component of its education drive, which it will
coordinate with CAREC and the Caribbean Environmental
Health Institute (CEHI). The CFNI also plans to participate
in an environmental impact assessment to direct responses
to flood hit areas.
Meanwhile,
CEHI stands prepared to assist Guyana in the immediate
future through the shipping in of mobile laboratory
from Canada to assist with on-site disease treatment.
CEHI’s Executive Director, Mr. Vincent Sweeney
said the agency also has access to a portable water
purification system suitable for one affected community.
He informed the media that his agency is also willing
to deploy the expertise of an environmental officer
to Guyana to advise on issues of shelter management
and sanitation. In the medium to long-term, CEHI has
identified training for Guyanese laboratory technicians
as an area of assistance to enhance the country’s
capacity for disease treatment and prevention. CEHI
has also identified water quality monitoring and purification
as additional areas of expertise that it could render
to the Guyana Government.
Resident Representative of the PAHO/WHO in Guyana,
Dr. Bernadette Theodore Ghandi said PAHO has launched
an international appeal for assistance for Guyana,
and has obtained $100,000 Euros from the European
Commission (EC) for the Guyana Government to offset
relief efforts. She pointed out that as a member of
the Guyana task force on health, PAHO has been working
closely with the Joint Operation Centre (JOC) and
the Civil Defense Commission to assist flood-hit areas
in monitoring health conditions.
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