With many areas remaining flooded and the fact that
a “basin” effect has occurred in many villages and much
of the water is unlikely to dissipate in the near future, the health
risks to persons in these areas will progressively increase. It should
also be noted that the health risks will not vanish when the water
recedes but will change from essentially being water-borne illnesses
to vector-borne illnesses. (Seen here a dead cow being eaten by a
hungry dog!) <
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Citizens' Initiative urges help for people
willing to leave flooded areas
6th February, 2005
The Guyana Citizens Initiative shares the concern of President
Jagdeo over the slow pace of the post-flood clean-up on the East Coast
and welcomes his intervention. The displeasure of citizens that great
mounds of garbage can still be found in villages over most of the
affected areas is entirely justified. Animals and further rains risk
much of this waste finding its way back into trenches and drains.
However, the GCI is disappointed at the wooden reaction of the Civil
Defense Commission to the Presidential expressions of concern rather
than seize them as an opportunity to promote sustainable solutions
to East Coast sanitation problems. <
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The Guyana Citizens Initiative for Flood
Relief (GCIFR) and the Guyana Association of Professional Social Workers
(GAPSW) have joined hands to conduct a detailed socio-economic and
psychological impact survey of the now three-week old flood, which
has been caused by un-seasonal and very high rainfall last month.
Coordinator of the survey group, Dr Desrey Caesar-Fox said the 10-member
core-team has already examined the proposed methodology and has been
refining the assessment forms.
Dr Fox said the results of study would be used to determine the type
of counseling that might be needed as well as determining the medium
to long-term measures that might be required for future similar disasters.
"It is really important because I think we
need to have that recorded so that they can advise future decisions
at a policy level and you must have this kind of information to
feed into the type of decisions that are very necessary," Dr
Caesar-Fox said.
