More than twenty-five healthcare professionals will benefit from a
two-day USAID Train-the-Trainer workshop aimed to provide psychosocial
support to parents and caregivers of Zika-affected children.
The psychosocial support training exercise being held at the Cara
Lodge is a collaboration between the governments of Guyana and the
United States of America to improve the health and well-being of
Guyanese citizens relative to the Zika epidemic.
According to Terry Steers-Gonzalez, US Deputy Chief of Mission, this
Zika Maternal and Child Survival workshop will highlight proven coping
skills and strategies to effectively manage daily challenges and
improve health outcomes.
“Caring for children with disabilities presents unique challenges this
can often result in parental stress and depression, which in turn can
have the child’s development. Therefore, this workshop will prepare
mental health, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation professionals to
roll-out national training on clinical and non-clinical aspects of
care of affected infants and children,” Steers-Gonzalez said.
He also disclosed that the healthcare professionals will be instructed
how to train caregivers to conduct recovery therapies at home and
early infant and child stimulation, which will help in achieving
developmental milestones.
Zika, a virus transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, was first
confirmed in Guyana on January 12 when the Caribbean Public Health
Agency (CARPHA) established that a sample sent for testing from a
27-year-old woman, whose addresses were listed as both Rose Hall,
Corentyne and Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara had tested positive.
The US Deputy Chief of Mission said while there has been some success
in controlling the Zika virus, the public health sector still needs to
be vigilant, as the virus continues to pose a threat.
“The truth is that Zika continues to be transmitted in the Caribbean,
but at lower levels than during the outbreak two years ago. The U.S
Centers for Disease Control is still registering cases of Zika
infection among American tourists returning from the Caribbean and
maintains is warning that pregnant women should not travel to areas
with risk of Zika, and lists the Caribbean as an area of risk,
including Guyana,” he explained.
The psychosocial support training will continue to be one of the main
pillars of Zika Project to aid in the strengthening the resilience of
individuals, families and communities to manage the effects of Zika.
To this date, the initiative has conducted intensive community
sensitisation activities in 165 schools and 150 health centres across
60 communities in Guyana.
