The Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) has donated over 1000 kits to test for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence disclosed today.
Her announcement comes even as the doubts continue to mount regarding Guyana’s preparedness to battle the spread of the virus.
The country has recorded five confirmed cases, thus far. In fact, Guyana has not confirmed a new case in eight days.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), a few days ago, said that Guyana is ranked as one of the least prepared countries in the western hemisphere to tackle the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Government has, however, maintained that it was always a move ahead. Testing kits were ordered before Guyana confirmed its first case, the authorities had said earlier this month. Days later, the government received 700 kits. Today, it received 1,100.
“I am happy to announce that the Ministry of Public Health, has received an additional 1,100 test kits, today, from PAHO/WHO, thus, bringing the number of total donated kits to 1,800. We have also received 14 ventilators from our suppliers to boost the capacity of our level three facility,” the minister noted.
She spoke of the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Region of the Americas, and asked Guyanese to pay attention to what is happening there and to learn from the experience of loved ones who are residing in countries where COVID-19 is rampant.
“In the United States of America, we do recognize that there is a rapid spread of COVID-19, and I’m sure that we are all concerned for the state of wellbeing of our loved ones over there. Let us all learn from their experience and ensure that we adhere to the several preventative measures, which include: social distancing, handwashing and cough etiquette,” he advised.
The minister reminded that only the National Public Health Reference Laboratory is equipped and certified to conduct COVID-19 testing. She reminded, too, that to date, WHO has not identified a specific drug that can be used to treat positive cases.
