Guyana launches first national influenza vaccination campaign

The Ministry of Health on Friday launched Guyana’s first national influenza vaccination programme, introducing the trivalent GC-Flu vaccine at a ceremony held at the Eccles Health Centre.

The campaign, themed “Strengthening Systems, Guiding Growth, Protecting Lives through Influenza Vaccination,” is being led by the Maternal and Child Health Department.

Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, delivering the feature address, hailed the initiative as a “historic milestone” for the country’s healthcare system. “Influenza is not as harmless as we sometimes believe. Globally, it affects around one billion people each year, resulting in up to 650,000 deaths. With vaccination, we can protect our vulnerable populations—children, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with chronic illnesses—while also safeguarding our frontline health workers,” he said.

Anthony noted that Guyana had recently strengthened influenza surveillance by joining the World Health Organisation’s FluNet and FluID platforms, enabling the country to contribute data and virus samples to global vaccine development.

The GC-Flu vaccine provides protection against H1N1, H3N2, and Influenza B (Victoria lineage) strains. The Minister reassured the public that “GC-Flu is safe, cannot cause influenza, and that any side effects are generally mild and shortlived.”

The Ministry is urging all eligible persons, particularly vulnerable groups and healthcare workers, to access the vaccine, which is available free of cost at health facilities nationwide.

In attendance at the launch were Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, Director of Primary Health Care Services; Dr. Nicholas Elliot, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer; and Dr. Garoma Dembele, PAHO/WHO Representative.