A Guyana delegation is ending a three-day visit to Suriname, as part of a malaria elimination exchange visit to the neighbouring Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
‘The purpose of this visit was to exchange knowledge about the approach to malaria in Suriname. This mission focuses on lessons and strategies learned from the success of malaria elimination in Suriname, which can support Guyana’s progress towards elimination and also contribute to preventing the reintroduction of malaria in Suriname,’ said the state-owned Suriname’s Communications Service (CDS). Earlier this year, the World Health Organization said Suriname had become the first country in the Amazon region to receive malaria-free certification.
Suriname’s Health Minister, André Misiekaba told the meeting that after Suriname received the WHO malaria-free certificate, PAHO has been fully focused on strategies to expand the number of malaria-free areas in the Amazon region.
‘As Minister of Health, I am aware that the eradication of malaria in Suriname, which is part of the Guiana Shield and also the Amazon region, is not sustainable if it is not accompanied by regional efforts to further reduce malaria,’ Misiekaba said, adding that the main challenge currently facing Suriname is preventing the reintroduction of malaria due to cross-border population movements.
He expressed the hope that this bilateral meeting will lead to a sharing of experiences that will not only help keep Suriname malaria-free, but will also lead to more intensive cross-border cooperation, information exchange, and bilateral support, which will then lead to a malaria-free Guyana Shield in the near future.
The malaria elimination mission carried out various activities during its time in Suriname, including a technical meeting with the team from the National Malaria Programme and the Malaria Elimination Task Force as well as a visit to the Trop Clinic/Malaria Clinic in Paramaribo to observe diagnosis and treatment practices.
A field visit to the malaria clinic near the Afobaka Dam to observe mobile malaria service delivery models for hard-to-reach populations as well as a visit to a Medical Mission clinic was also scheduled to place.
PAHO’s Director in Suriname, Dr. Yafflo Ouattara, said that the regional collaboration is not optional, but essential and that the visit reflects the partnership needed to maintain malaria elimination in Suriname and accelerate progress in Guyana.
‘The knowledge you gain here can inspire new strategies at home, and your insights will also help us maintain the high level of vigilance needed to protect Suriname’s malaria-free status. The lessons learned will be crucial for the entire region,’ said Ouattara in the statement.