Dear Editor,
The recently announced direct route from West Africa to Barbados coupled with the launch of visa free entry between Barbados and Guyana may amount to being a recipe for disaster if not properly managed. The outbreak of Ebola which is spreading quickly in parts of Africa may eventually find its way onto Guyana’s shores if the proper safeguards are not put in place at our ports of entry. In this very dangerous situation prevention is definitely better than a cure.
It was only earlier this month that the U.S. had to redirect a flight from a French carrier due to potential Ebola exposure. The flight was coming from Paris with a passenger from Congo. The sensitivity of the current health crisis and the risk of the potential exposure that could result from increased exposure to African travellers from carriers with less stringent safeguards as those of Europe and the U.S. must be taken very seriously. It is of utmost importance that the Ministry of Health put in place similar requirements as those of the U.S. to track the origin of passengers especially those coming from Barbados via direct flights from Africa.
Our fragile healthcare sector will not be able to easily cope with an outbreak of Ebola if it reaches our shores, and the poor sanitary environment around the Capital will create conditions that will make containment of such an outbreak extremely difficult. CRG calls upon the government to take the necessary precautions and to work closely with the U.S. to quickly establish the necessary preventive measures to ensure that Ebola doesn’t reach our country.