[www.inewsguyana.com] – There are plans for the tightening up of surveillance and intensifying of operations at the ports of entry to prevent against vector borne diseases, primarily Chikungunya, Director of Vector Control Services (VCS), Dr. Reyaud Rahman said.
He was quoted in the Government Information Agency bulletin as saying that VCS desks will be stationed at the Ogle Airport and later at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
This initiative will see tests being conducted on persons entering Guyana who may be experiencing signs of fever, head aches, pains to the joints and eyes, and vomiting.
He said that VCS is working closely with port health to have these desks established within a matter of a few weeks at the Ogle airport.
Dr. Rahman added that while the intention is not to cause any form of inconvenience to passengers, the goal is to identify any case of the disease (Chikungunya) and contain it. The team of medical workers will also be looking at persons who may have visited an island or area that is already affected by the disease.
No case of this disease has been found in Guyana thus far, but several Caribbean stated have seen cases such as: Anguilla, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Haiti, St. Kitts, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
