Guyana to make flu vaccines available to health workers and the elderly

Minister of Health, Dr Fank Anthony has announced that through the National Public Health Reference Lab, Guyana is now providing the World Health Organization (WHO) with samples to help design influenza vaccines.

The supply of the influenza samples follows the accreditation of the National Public Health Reference Lab in 2024 by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). The Reference Lab, Minister Anthony said, is now among labs in the region conducting influenza surveillance.

“So, this year, the vaccines that are made for influenza, some of the samples came from our lab. Because as you know, every season, influenza season, the previous season, we take the samples from that to try to predict what type of vaccines you would need in the new year. So, we have been able to supply WHO with samples, and so the design of the vaccine for this year, is using some of the samples that we sent,” the Health Minister explained on Wednesday.

At the time, he was addressing the Parliamentary Committee of Supply, which was considering the $121 Billion budgeted for the Health Sector.

He announced too that this year, the Health Ministry will be administering influenza vaccines to healthcare workers, and the elderly.

“Previously, we have not been giving influenza vaccinations in Guyana, but this year, we will start by also giving influenza vaccination, and we would give them first to the healthcare workers and older people in our population,” he told the Committee.

IT was also announced that the Pathology Lab at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has received GYS 170 certification.

He said the lab is capable of conducting 14 histochemistry tests.

“We have at least 14 histochemistry tests, 14 histochemistry tests that we can now do at the lab, and among the other things that we are able to do. So, for example, if somebody had a biopsy for breast cancer, when in the past, maybe just about a year ago, if that biopsy came to the Georgetown Public Hospital, they took sometimes three months to turn that sample around. So, we are not able to do that within three to seven days. So, that is a faster turnaround, and we are able to give the person diagnosis,” Minister Anthony explained.

The Public Health Sector, he added, is also now able to conduct telepathology.

Dr. Anthony said the strides being made are all important as the Health Ministry forges ahead with the National Health Strategy, which is intended to improve the quality of healthcare services in the country.