It is now mandatory for pregnant mothers attending antenatal clinics in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine to be tested for malaria on each visit, says Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, Chief Medical Officer.Of the 10 maternal deaths reported countrywide thus far for 2013, two women died from severe cerebral malaria (Falciparum). As such, those deaths are not calculated among maternal deaths but the Ministry finds it worrying that both women were patients of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and succumbed from an infectious disease that could have been treated.Cerebral malaria occurs when the parasite invades the brain. The infected person experiences mild fever during the early stage and if not treated,Wholesale NFL Jerseys Online, it results in swelling of the brain. In pregnant women the infection is treatable without negative impact on the fetus. However, severe malaria could cause miscarriages.Speaking directly of the two incidents,Cheap Jerseys From China Online, Dr. Persaud said that the mothers were from areas known to have malaria. They could have contracted malaria before their pregnancies. “They were pegged as high risk pregnancies and sent into the hospitals. One was actually a patient of a private hospital and was subsequently sent to GPHC.”“We hope that we wouldn’t have such an incident again. Usually it is very difficult because both mothers had signs of cerebral malaria,Wholesale Cheap Jerseys, which is usually a serious form of malaria even without pregnancies,Air Max Shoes For Sale,” he said.According to Dr. Persaud, sometimes it is believed that malaria is out in the hinterland regions resulting in persons who manage malaria to be dispatched to those areas. Since the deaths, the Ministry has been pressing on the Malaria Programme to have GPHC’s wards be more conscious that malaria is a common disease in Guyana. “Our principal hospital needs to be up on par and know how to manage every case of malaria,” he said.The Chief Medical Officer related that the Ministry has reviewed the guidelines of managing malaria and pregnancies, and the guidelines are now being disseminated.Training of new obstetric doctors in managing malaria is also part of the Ministry’s objectives.The Ministry will be rigidly implementing its policy to ensure that in all Regions, pregnant women visiting antenatal clinics should have malaria smears done. Once the tests are positive, corrective treatments should be given.“Apparently it was not enforced as rigidly as it was supposed to have. We are trying to put that back in place. In the malaria Regions, One,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, Seven, Eight and Nine, every mother who goes to an antenatal clinic must get a prick and a malaria smear. So we can guarantee the public we will work on this.”Commenting on the other eight deaths that are considered direct maternal deaths, Dr. Persaud said five were from GPHC, one from New Amsterdam Hospital, one from Suddie Hospital, and two from private hospitals.Most of those deaths resulted from excessive bleeding after delivery and rupturing of the uterus. “The loss of blood is still a big issue when it comes to managing maternal deaths,” he said. The other deaths were related to an ectopic pregnancy and an abortion.