Health Minister Ramsammy is President of World Health Assembly
By Neil Marks
MINISTER of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, has been appointed president of the World Health Assembly and intends to zoom in on the challenges climate change poses to health, and also push for an “MDG Plus” to get the world to set key targets to address chronic diseases.
The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is respected as the one of the most powerful instruments of the United Nations, second only to the General Assembly.
Dr Ramsammy’s appointment makes it the first time for a minister of the Americas to hold the post since 1972, and he becomes only the second representative from the region to do so. The Assembly this year meets from May 19-24 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Assembly meets once a year and is attended by delegations from all of WHO's 192 Member States. Its main function is to determine the policies of the Organisation.
Minister Ramsammy said that his push for an “MDG Plus” comes from the fact that the world, in setting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), neglected to focus attention on chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer. He said that chronic diseases are the leading cause of death (54%) in the Americas, and it his intention to highlight that gap in the formulation of the MDGs and thereby address the growing concern about these “neglected” diseases.
Heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), diabetes, and cancer are listed by the Ministry of Health as the leading cause of death among the 45-64 age group in Guyana.
Dr Ramsammy said that cervical cancer will come under the radar this year, given recommendations that girls ages 9-12 (generally regarded as the years preceding sexual activity) be given a Human Pappilomavirus (HPV) vaccine. This, Dr. Ramsammy said, because most cervical cancer develops because of HPV chronic infection.
He said the vaccine developed is effective against four forms of HPV and Guyana is currently conducting studies to ascertain if the vaccine would be useful here. According to Dr Ramsammy, the preliminary study seems to suggest that the vaccine would work locally, and the Ministry of Health is awaiting confirmation.
Dr Ramsammy said that he will also use his presidency of the 61st World Health Assembly to tackle the issue of climate change and its impact on global health.
He said changes in the weather pattern are affecting the distribution of diseases globally, and countries like Guyana are bracing for increases in dengue, malaria and asthma.
In addition, Minister Ramsammy said that the disease Schistomiasis is cause for increasing concern, and the Assembly will focus much attention on it this year. Also known as bilharziasis or snail fever, Schistomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by the larvae of one or more of five types of flatworms or blood flukes known as schistosomes.
Infections associated with worms present some of the most universal health problems in the world, with Schistomiasis accounting for most diseases, outside of malaria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 200 million people are infected and 120 million display symptoms. Another 600 million people are at risk of infection. Schistosomes are prevalent in rural and outlying city areas of 74 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In Central China and Egypt, the disease poses a major health risk.
Dr Ramsammy said that while there are no cases of Schistomiasis in Guyana, the risk is there.
Minister Ramsammy has been a Post Doctoral Fellow (Neurochemistry) at the New York Institute of Developmental Disabilities and is a Senior Fellow, WINDRIF, St. Georges School of Medicine. He has more than 70 scientific publications and is the author of “HIV/AIDS – A Public Health Challenge.”
Dr Ramsammy holds a PhD in Biochemistry and a M.Sc. in Biology from St. John’s University, N.Y and a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Pace University, N.Y.
He has been serving as Minister of Health since 2001.
African Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu and Jordan’s Princess Noor will be guests at this year’s World Health Assembly.
Kalamadeen’s head found in canal
Discovered by passers-by close to Jiffi Lubes Shade
By Neil Marks and Michel Outridge
THE severed head of City businessman, Farouk Kalamadeen, was found in a canal a block away from his Light Street and North Road business place early yesterday morning.
The gruesome discovery was made three days after his headless cadaver was found dumped at another location north of the City.
One relative who spoke with the Guyana Chronicle said the family is “certain” that the head is Kalamadeen’s and that now that it could be finally “reunited with the body,” they are in a better frame of mind to continue with arrangements to bury him today. The funeral service will be held at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) on Woolford Avenue.
The Police recovered the head after being alerted by passers-by who saw it lying in a muddy canal at Albert Street and North Road here in the capital, just a street away from Jiffy Lubes, the motor services outlet that Kalamadeen owned and operated.
The missing head was examined by Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh who, according to the Police, concluded that Kalamadeen had suffered blunt trauma to the back of the head and injuries to the mouth.
As news of the discovery spread, a large crowd gathered at the site where the head was found just opposite the popular Bakewell bakery. The discovery was made sometime around 08:30h.
Neighbours shuddered on recounting the story, saying the head was “black” when it was fished out of the trench.
Kalamadeen’s headless body was found early Wednesday morning, almost a month after he disappeared, in the Kingston area on a parapet at Cowan Street.
Relatives were prepared to go ahead with the funeral Friday without the head, but this was stalled because the Police needed to verify that the cadaver was his from its fingerprints.
Since Kalamadeen had not yet been registered in the current registration exercise, there were no fingerprints of his available at the Guyana Elections Commission to make that comparison. Relatives however said the Police were able to “lift” fingerprints from equipment Kalamadeen used when he would go in the interior. Those fingerprints matched those of the headless cadaver, thus providing further conclusive evidence in the identity of the body.
Kalamadeen disappeared without a trace after leaving his Barrington Apartments home in Houston just outside the City on the lower East Bank on April 2, for his daily jog.
He was presumed abducted, but according to the family, there were no ransom demands. The Police are still continuing with their investigations.
Popular restaurateur’s son killed during robbery
A SON who went to his mother’s aid during a robbery early yesterday morning was shot and killed by bandits in his yard.
Dead is Christopher Maloney, 21, of William Street, Kitty.
Police said that about 04:55h Maloney’s mother, Margaret Maloney, the owner of Maggie’s Restaurant on New Market Street in the City, was about to leave home in her car for her business place when she was confronted by four gunmen.
They held her up and took away her jewellery, Police said.
Upon hearing his mother raise an alarm, Christopher rushed to her defence but was shot at point blank range to the chest by one of the robbers who all managed to escape.
The lad was taken to the Public Hospital but died while receiving medical attention.
Police are investigating the matter.
Mac takes a final bow
By Tangerine Clarke
THE curtain came down Friday on a once powerful cultural genius that many called a pioneer of Guyanese folklore, and a national treasure.Wordsworth .A. McAndrew, a man who lived his life as an active cultural ambassador for over 50 years stayed still for the first time as an out-pouring of tributes filled the Union United Methodist Church in Brooklyn, on New York Avenue between Dean and Bergen Streets.
The afternoon of hand-clapping, storytelling, African drumming and prayers from persons of many faiths was the perfect send-off for this prolific writer and poet, who was affectionately called ‘Scouta’.
It was fittingly organised by the Guyana Cultural Association, coordinators of the annual Guyana Folk Festival, whose president, Malcolm Hall, and member Dr Juliet Emanuel led the congregation in worship.
The service commenced with a procession of family, friends and clergy of many spiritual faiths each carrying a small replica of the Guyana flag and walking alongside the casket that bore the remains of the fearless giant as the cortege made its way to the altar for a final blessing.
Overwhelming praise for ‘Mac’ flowed from the lips of every speaker who paid tribute. Reverend Frederick lauded the former radio broadcaster for sharing the pleasure and joy of culture with so many different people, in so many different places.
“The way ‘Mac’ used words and language to integrate our folklore was truly thoughtful. His work will not be in vain,” Reverend Thom said.
A heart-rending scripture reading by former GBC broadcaster Hugh Hamilton sent chills down the collective spines of those in the packed to capacity congregation, many of whom had travelled from many parts of the United Stated and other parts of the world to bid farewell to the fallen legend.
Clutching her uncle, Wilton McAndrew, Mac’s daughter, Rosanne Zammett recalled the fond memories she has of her father, as her sons, other uncle, Nigel, and husband listened from the audience.
Wilton, Mac’s younger brother, brought laughter to the audience when he spoke of the boyhood pranks he shared with his brother Wordsworth.
Former broadcaster, Hugh Cholmondeley, also spoke of his eventful experience working with ‘Mac’ which led to his training at the BBC in London.
Roy Brummell remembered how his friend ‘Scouta’ read his poem ‘De Great Jackass Race’ brilliantly on radio, and how he stayed mentally alert and independent to the end of his days.
Ingram Lewis, a confidant, paid tribute to the former BBC-trained radio personality with proverbs he lived by, such as: ‘We can’t afford to lose cutlass and guana’; and ‘if ya can’t run wid de big dogs, just stand on de landin’ and bark’.
“We have lost the Chihuahua in death, but cannot afford to lose his legacy and what ‘Wordsy’ stood for,” said Lewis.
Beverly Allen, a niece from England; Francis Yvonne Jackson, a friend from Chicago: and Duke Lambert, all spoke of the joyous time they spent in Mac’s company.
In his reading of the obituary of the late great individualist, Professor John Rickford engaged the congregants as he read a specially-written poem titled ‘Scouta Mac’ from Marc Matthews who is based in England.
Scouta Gone whea d-beat ah d-drum dat he march to born. Naah dea whea scouta gone, pam pa lam. Scouta gone Scouta Gone is whea Scouta gone?
missy neva loss missy neva loss, missy neva loss no gol’ ring, Scouta Gone whea d-beat ah d-drum dat he march to born. Naah dea whea scouta gone, pam pa lam.
In his eulogy, Pastor Kwesi Ojinga glorified ‘Mac’ for fulfilling his purpose here on earth, and touching the lives of those he met and befriended. He lived a fulfilling life, and will continue to walk, not in the valley of death, but through the valley of death, Ojinga said.
But it was His Excellency Ambassador Bayney Karran, who best summed up the extraordinary man that was Wordsworth McAndrew, calling him a revolutionary who highlighted the lives of the ordinary folk and enlightened “us as to why our true culture was depicted in how we lived, and what we did.”
Speaking on behalf of the President of Guyana, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the government and people of Guyana, and himself and family, Karran applauded Mac for helping to gather the strands of the Guyanese identity and mentored “us to accept them.” He said that “in so doing, Mac helped to weave together the tapestry of our social fabric, brought the essence of our culture to the fore and contributed to some of the characteristics of our nation.”
He also called him “a supreme patriot whose legacy lives on among his work and among the numerous propagators of Guyanese culture whom he inspired,” including many of those present who were members of the Guyana Cultural Association.
“In one hundred years, or two, hence he will hopefully be acclaimed as one who helped build a foundation upon which a Guyanese civilization was nurtured,” Ambassador Karran said, adding:
“Our homage to his legacy ought to be to work to develop a greater appreciation and respect for the values and the traditions which he laboured to preserve.”
In closing, he said: “I now say to you Wordsworth, as you finally rest, Guyana stands firm, tall and proud, when it stands on shoulders like yours. This is not a passing away, rather it is the entrance into a different realm and the beginning of a deeper association of creation.”
Taking a leaf out of Mac’s book, Ambassador Karran said: “As we say in the language you cherished, ‘Tata and walk good’.”
The tremendous two-and-a-half hour send-off, which was streamed live on the World Wide Web by One Caribbean Radio general manager, Guyanese Bobby Vieira, was officiated by the Reverends Wesley Daniel, George Frederick, and Rodwell Tom; Reverend Persaud, Dr Evelyn John, Father Lloyd Andres, Imam Haji Zakir, Pandit Ramlall, and Archbishop Cecil Mercurius.
A stirring drum tribute by Winston Hoppie, Menes de Groit, Japer Adams, and Akoya Rudder accompanied the once-loved and at times misunderstood artist out of the church on his final journey.
Wordsworth McAndrew, who lived on this earth for 72 years, was cremated in New Jersey yesterday.
The Guyana Cultural Association wishes to express its heartfelt gratitude to the Guyana Tri-State Alliance, the Guyana Day Celebration Committee, the Guyana Broadcasters of New York, the Rajkumari Cultural Centre and the Nritya Kala Kendra International Academy.
And to the many artistes the likes of Wrickford Dalgetty, Hilton Hemmerding, Trenton Mac, Hugh Sam, Dr Keith Proctor, the organisation would also like to say a hearty thank you.
