Guyana has the highest suicide rate in the world, much caused by the inequalities, mental health and standards of living; especially in the poorer regions. Many people who live in these areas suffer from various diseases; much caused by sanitation, mosquitoes and lack of treatment.

Malaria is still a major killer on this planet, even where there is vector control measures in place, which reduces the infection; there is still a large number of deaths every year, so there is there still a lot to do. Malaria is a parasite transmitted through the Anopheles mosquito. In Guyana, there are three out of four existing forms of Malaria: Ovale , Vivax , Falciparum .

Ovale is dangerous, because it sticks and hide itself in the liver and can occur again later without a mosquito bite. Vivax is rare, not life threatening, but still inconvenient. Falciparum is life threatening and a major danger in the Amazon jungle.

Together with Dengue fever they are very difficult enemies to fight. The mosquito Aegypti transmits Dengue, Chiquengunia, Zika and others. Both mosquito species need heat and waterholes to breed. Both of these diseases are very vast in the Amazonas jungle. One infected mosquito can infect up to 300 people during her life! The government has tried to make the miners close the waterholes, but this will take time and remains very challenging.

What is necessary, is to educate the people at risk and show them how to avoid getting bitten. How to recognize the symptoms, of the two sicknesses and what to do if you suspect that you are infected. Mosquito nets are needed to reduce the risk as much as possible.

The people who are working in the Amazon jungle are normally simple persons with simple ideas and beleive in lot of superstition. This belief is common knowledge and therefore controls most actions. Mining develops a lot of holes in the ground which fills up with water quite quickly. This encourages the colony of mosquitos to form breeding nests. The mosquito species Anopheles and Aegypti are the transmitter, called vector, for Malaria, Dengue, Zika, Chiquengunia and other related diseases.

People who reside in these parts, do Not visit a doctor or hospital; as the process is long winded and expensive. This is due to practically living in the middle of nowhere. For example, they would journey first, via 3 hour ride on an ATV -, a kind of 4 wheel bike, to the next bigger river. There they need a canoe or similar boat to reach the next bigger village. If they have a health center they are lucky, but there are no doctors, only a nurse. Even most bush hospitals have no treatments or tests outside of the norm. To get from there to the city of Georgetown, where all tests and treatment are available, they must first take a plane or riding on top of a truck or something similar. This is time consuming and very expensive, which a lot of workers cannot afford.

Nobody knows how many people die in secret in the bush, because they didn’t get the treatment in time or at all. People disappear all the time. Nobody has a statistic or number. Their families suddenly have no financial support due to lack of money or work. The security net in Guyana is extremely large and it is easy to fall through the net. Mothers have to give away their children in order to make a living. It is a very difficult and hard situation for everybody involved.

With your support and through GENISYS ARCt projects, together WE CAN make a difference.