Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, MP, has debunked claims that the Ministry’s COVID-19 capacity in Region 10 is inadequate.During Monday’s COVID-19 Update, the health minister said the claims are being made by persons trying to create “political mischief”.
“So, you have some anti-vaxxers in Region Ten that are clutching at anything that they can to just tarnish the work that the staff is doing in terms of vaccination and managing COVID-19.”
The Minister highlighted that the health officials in the region have been working assiduously to ensure infected persons are treated and the spread of the disease is limited. “In terms of our preparedness in Region Ten, we have a section of the hospital where we hospitalise Covid patients and over the last week we would have had about 10 persons who are hospitalised. They have now been discharged because they’re feeling much better. “We have adequate medication, we have the equipment, we have oxygen and all those things up there to manage those patients. If they become more critical, then we move them from that hospital across to the Ocean View facility, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
He noted that unfortunately this type of political mischief will create a lot of hesitancy in people’s mind. As such, they will not get vaccinated therefore putting themselves more at risk of contracting COVID-19. Dr. Anthony further called on persons to desist from circulating rumours about COVID-19 and the vaccine. “I would urge those persons who call themselves leaders in Region Ten to really work in the interests of the citizens of region 10 and desist from this nonsense of trying to spread rumors and creating this type of hesitancy in the region. “As it is right now region Ten is the region with the lowest rates of vaccination for both first and second dose, and that has put them at severe risk of infection. So, you know, if we continue along this way all we’re doing is endangering people’s lives there.”
Currently, the Upper Demerara-Berbice Region has the lowest vaccination uptake.
