“Cutting edge” study on malaria parasites being conducted by Health Ministry and Harvard University

The Health Ministry has partnered with the Harvard University, to carry out studies of the
malaria parasite, to detect changes that may cause drug resistance, the findings of which, could
contribute to global studies.
Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony disclosed that Guyana could become one of the top centers
once the project is successful. The study will use pioneering technology and techniques to
sequence the malaria parasite and check for gene alterations that are common with resistance to
medications. “Some of these parasites would develop resistance towards the treatment that is
currently available, so we have seen that globally and when that happens the current medication
is not going to work properly and therefore, when people get sick with malaria, if we are using
the same treatment protocol, they would have challenges in getting better,” Minister Anthony
explained.
Dr. Anthony revealed that officials at the National Public Health Reference Lab have been
trained in gene sequencing at Harvard University, while a gene sequencing machine has been
acquired. “Once we do the sequencing locally, the data that we collect, we would be assisted by
the Harvard team to interpret the data so it’s a collaboration, we do part of the work, they will
help us with the analytics, so it is a good collaboration because it allows our staff to learn new
techniques and some of these are really cutting-edge technology that we are using and techniques
that we are using,” he stressed.
Dr. Anthony said that while the focus is on malaria, the same technique and equipment could be
used for gene sequencing for the Covid-19 virus. The minister said this could be done locally by
the end of this year. Commenting on another collaboration, this time with the Oxford University,
Dr. Anthony said it will see the use of ‘innovative’ techniques in Region Nine, to control malaria
there.
“We don’t know if we don’t monitor and that’s why we have these projects to do specific types
of monitoring, so the traditional way doesn’t work that well, so with the advances in science we
can use molecular surveillance,” Minister Anthony declared. The Health Ministry has, in the last
year, been distributing impregnated bed nets in the various hinterland communities, along with
hammocks and nets in mining areas.
Dr. Anthony pointed out that there are 15,000 to 18,000 reported cases of malaria every year.
The health minister is therefore hoping that the distribution of bed nets, which has been very
effective in other parts of the world like Africa, will see results in reducing the mosquito
population and infection.