Programs In Developing Countries Research Articles

Fill in the Blank? A Discussion of Prefilled Tax Returns in the U.S.

ABSTRACT The U.S. tax system imposes a substantial cost of preparation on individual taxpayers. Prefilled tax returns, in which the government prepares tax returns and provides them to taxpayers for any necessary revisions or approvals, would fundamentally overhaul this practice. Such a program has long been debated in the U.S., including multiple recent legislative proposals of a “Tax Filing Simplification Act.” In this paper, we consider a prefilled tax return system for the U.S., concluding that it offers the opportunity to improve the tax filing experience of many Americans by reducing their involvement in an activity widely perceived as unpleasant. However, effective implementation will require careful design. We draw on the implementation and design of programs in other developed countries, along with relevant academic research, to provide insight into the potential design of a prefilled tax return program in the U.S.

The Journey of Postgraduate Education in Pakistan

At the time of the creation of Pakistan, there were only a few medical colleges that too mostly in crisis as most faculty and students migrated to India after the partition. In the 1950s, several new medical colleges were created to meet the requirements of training doctors in the country as there was a growing need for specialists in various medical fields. Later, MS and MD programs were started by a handful of universities, but their training standards were not up to the mark.Major development regarding post-graduate education took place in 1962 when the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSP) in Karachi, was established.1 The College introduced fellowships in various specialties; however, the number of trainees remained very low. In the 1970s, newer medical colleges were created to meet ever increasing demand for doctors. This resulted in the creation of limited teaching posts as well as training slots in most institutes. As the passing percentage of the CPSP fellowship program was low, a small number of postgraduate trainees and specialists were being trained locally. Most teaching posts in the country were occupied by western trained doctors and most students preferred going abroad, especially to the United Kingdom for training.In the 1990s, major changes were introduced at CPSP, including the introduction of the MCQ pattern for primary exams and later replacing viva with OSPE. This objectivity in assessment resulted in a higher pass percentage, and more locally produced specialists were now available. Brain drains from Pakistan still was a pressing issue as recruitment drives of specialists for the Middle East increased and a number of doctors joined their health services. However, at the start of the twenty-first century, due to islamophobia, several doctors started returning from western countries. Most academic units were now headed by CPSP fellows and International trained specialists. As a result, proper teaching units were established with regular FCPS and MCPS training programs being conducted. Due to the saturation of big cities, more specialists started to move to rural facilities in Pakistan thus improving access to health care. Locally, a number of private colleges mushroomed as regulatory requirements were relaxed owing to the need of producing more doctors both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. However, the brain drain continued as many joined the positions in the United Kingdom especially in the mid-2000s, as the working hours for doctors were reduced by their National Health Services. Major changes took place in the last decade in postgraduate education in Pakistan. Newer Medical Universities were established, and they started Master of Surgery (MS) and Doctor of Medicine (MD) programs.2 Mostly their curricula were modifications of the CPSP fellowship program. At the same time, CPSP started a regular online part 1 induction exam, and the number of entrants into the fellowship program started to increase.Previously, after clearing the Part 1 exam, induction of trainees was done as per the recommendations of supervisors. This resulted in most trainees preferring more developed cities for training and some complained of bias in selection. To address these issues, a Central Induction Policy was introduced in Punjab, which gave a major preference to doctors working in rural health services. Seats were equally divided between CPSP and MS/MD candidates. Still, unfortunately, with a few exceptions, the standard of training has deteriorated. Although CPSP is following a structured schedule of all training workshops for part 2 trainees, but much is desired regarding their quality. Online monitoring and dissertation writing was made compulsory, but issues of fake entries and paid research projects still need to be addressed. Due to the increased induction, the number of trainees per supervisor is also very high resulting in compromises in training. For the young graduates, there are extreme difficulties in seeking training slots. At present for a single training slot, at least twenty candidates are waiting. This has created a lot of resentment among our young doctors.3It is the need of the hour to upgrade the postgraduate medical curriculum in our country and bring it in accordance with international standards, ensuring the participation of all stakeholders. Nowadays, training programs in most developed countries are competency-based, putting less emphasis on the formal exam. Also, aptitude testing should be made compulsory before selecting a candidate for any specialty to ensure proper training. And lastly, the number of candidates who passed in FCPS part 1 exam should be in accordance with the number of seats available in the country for post-graduation in that discipline.

Description of the cross‐cultural process adopted in the STRiDE (STrengthening Responses to dementia in DEveloping countries) program: A methodological overview

Cross‐cultural adaptation is an important part of using validated questionnaires across countries and settings. Here we describe the cross‐cultural process adopted in the STRiDE (STrengthening Responses to dementia in DEveloping countries) program.We adopted a cross‐cultural adaptation process including forward translation, back translations, and cognitive interviews of the STRiDE toolkit. In total, 50 older adults and 41 carers across sites in Indonesia and South Africa participated in cognitive interviews; field notes and verbatim quotes are reported.We describe the cross‐cultural adaptation process of the STRiDE toolkit. During the process, issues were identified with the translated toolkit, including aspects related to cultural appropriateness, terminology equivalence, and timings.The data demonstrate that a rigorous, yet pragmatic, cross‐cultural adaptation process can be achieved even with limited resources. Our process should help the design and conduct of future dementia research in various contexts.

The experience of the "Program of palliative care in an outpatient setting in the Dnipro City for 2018-2021" implementation: the problems and prospects

Background. Many Ukrainian authors noted that an innovative System of Palliative and Hospice Care (PHC) and Social Services for Palliative Care (SSPC) the creation and implementation are the most important medical and social tasks of the Government and society in Ukraine today which appreciate the civilization and humanity of our state and society. PHC are a modern patient-family-oriented humanitarian approach that contributes to the preservation of the human dignity of palliative care patients (PCP) and can ensure the proper quality of life of PCP and their relatives. According to the WHO and the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Recommendations, palliative care should be one of the priorities of the Health Care Government Policy in the European region. The purpose of the study: the "Program of palliative care in an outpatient setting in Dnipro City for 2018-2021" the implementation analysis. Materials and methods. The work used national and international legal documents and literature sources, data from medical statistics, methods of systemic and structural-functional analysis, bibliosemantic and statistical research methods. Results. The international and national legal documents and scientific literature a content analysis showed that in accordance with modern approaches and standards, PHC is provided taking into account the PCP and its family members needs, wishes and consent, depending on medical, demographic, socio-economic and cultural ethnic features of the region. A comparative analysis of the PHC state in Ukraine and Dnipro City showed some regional features, in particular, the significant need to provide PHC and SSPC to patients at home and the need and ensure a mechanism of cooperation between primary health care physicians, inpatient health care and social care institutions to develop. In 2017, the “Program of outpatient palliative care in Dnipro City for 2018–2021” (hereinafter - the Program) was developed and approved at the City Council session, which allowed the PHC and SSPC multidisciplinary and interagency approaches implementation, effective interdepartmental coordination, cooperation and the continuity of PHC and SSPC to ensure. The Multidisciplinary Mobil Specialized Palliative Care Team has been working in close contact with family doctors and social workers in the city since June 2019. As part of the Program, PCP are provided with medicines, technical and other means of care and rehabilitation free of charge or on preferential terms. In addition, the Palliative Care Team provides PCP, if indicated, oxygen concentrators and anti-decubitus mattresses. The Program creates points for renting medical care for PCP (wheelchairs, walkers, anti-decubitus mattresses, crutches, etc.), as well as providing patients with medical care at home (urine and feces, diapers, etc.). In 2020, UAH 300,000 was allocated from the Program budget for the Palliative Care Team with medical equipment, medicines and rehabilitation technical means complete set. In total, it is planned to allocate over UAH 40 million from the Dnipro City Budget for the Program implementation. Conclusions. 1. Thus, today in Dnipro City the Comprehensive Palliative Care System at home is implemented due to co-financing from the State Budget and due to the "Program of palliative care in outpatient conditions in Dnipro City for 2018-2021", approved by the Dnipro City Council the deputies. 2. An important condition for comprehensive provision of the Dnipro City population needs in PHC and SSPC is the Dnipro City Council support to create a modern accessible, high-quality and efficient PHC and SSPC service, which an effective interagency coordination, continuity and cooperation between health care providers and social care institutions provides, Multidisciplinary Mobil Specialized Palliative Care Team creation and development of in each the city district, the coordination and continuity of inpatient PHC in the city health provides. 3. There is both the Government support and municipal or regional budgets support for PHC Programs in many developed countries. The international PHC standards and experience implementation can significantly the provision of needs and the quality of life of both PCP and their families improve.

Clinical Characteristics, Preventive Care and Attitude to Telemedicine among Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most frequent and one of the most severe complications of both types of diabetes. Despite the development of versatile diabetes management programs in most developed countries, many patients remain at increased risk for developing this life-limiting and life-threatening condition. This cross-sectional analysis objective was to examine and compare the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and comorbidities, as well as the clinical characteristics, prevention patterns, and attitude to telemedicine in patients with diabetes. We found that, when compared to the non-DR group, patients with DR significantly more often utilize clinical preventive services and counseling; however, there is still a significant gap in the receipt of preventative care. Moreover, in the DR subgroup, inadequate diabetic control and the presence of various signs and symptoms of diseases were observed. Although less than a fifth of all patients use mobile applications to monitor their health status, the patients indicate their willingness to use telemedical technology, particularly if it is recommended by the physician and provided without additional costs. The evolution of telemedicine offers a possibility of inexpensive, continuous monitoring of the disease that could improve treatment outcomes. Our observations emphasize DR’s perception as a complex disease in which education and continuous monitoring, particularly with telemedicine methods, are critical for further improvement in chronic care.

Diversifying the structure of rural development programmes in countries of Centre and Eastern Europe

<b>Aim:</b> Common Agricultural Policy the EU, but especially her II pillar, is playing a role of no small importance in the forming of the image of the modern, European village. Her meaning into the development of agriculture and determines country areas even if the scale of the backing and the place he is filling which in the budget structure of the European Union. From a scientific and utilitarian point of view dense determining effects his realization is bringing which in is significant - especially for the development of rural areas. From here in the present article portraying diversifying the politics of supporting based on rural development programmes in the programming was a main purpose 2007-2013 (PROW) in countries of Europe Centre-Eastern, with particular reference to of reinforcements pointed to country areas. Relating to differences in the situation of the development of rural areas they made an appraisal of the construction of Programs in the context of allocating funds for individual action. <br><b>Materials and methods:</b> Documents of the rural development programme were base Material for selected states (i.e.: of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary). On their base comparing implemented action and structures of financing them were made. In the destination of defining of changes in agriculture sectors of selected countries and PROW meaning 2007-2013 in these processes, data characterizing country areas was analysed available in bases Eurostat and reports of the European Commission. <br><b>Results and conclusions:</b> Analysis results are showing that in analysed countries it is possible to observe certain resemblance in the structure of distribution of the support. Simultaneously the specificity of the implementation of programmes partly corresponded to the level of development of agriculture and country areas in individual countries. Results allow to file, that (relatively) the better economic situation of the farming is giving the possibility of the reinforcement (through the greater participation in budget) of realization of environmental problems in the agricultural policy. Generally it is possible to understand strengthening action for country areas and the environment, by dispatching to these cells the large portion of supporting as part of WPR means, as the achievement of the next stage in the realization of the demand of the sustainable development farmings.

Does One Medicare Fit All? The Economics of Uniform Health Insurance Benefits

There is increasing interest in expanding Medicare health insurance coverage in the U.S., but it is not clear whether the current program is the right foundation on which to build. Traditional Medicare covers a uniform set of benefits for all income groups and provides more generous access to providers and new treatments than public programs in other developed countries. We develop an economic framework to assess the efficiency and equity tradeoffs involved with reforming this generous, uniform structure. We argue that three major shifts make a uniform design less efficient today than when Medicare began in 1965. First, rising income inequality makes it more difficult to design a single plan that serves the needs of both higher- and lower-income people. Second, the dramatic expansion of expensive medical technology means that a generous program increasingly crowds out other public programs valued by the poor and middle class. Finally, as medical spending rises, the tax-financing of the system creates mounting economic costs and increasingly untenable policy constraints. These forces motivate reforms that shift towards a more basic public benefit that individuals can “top-up†with private spending. If combined with an increase in other progressive transfers, such a reform could improve efficiency and reduce public spending while benefiting low income populations.

Does One Medicare Fit All? The Economics of Uniform Health Insurance Benefits

There is increasing interest in expanding Medicare health insurance coverage in the U.S., but it is not clear whether the current program is the right foundation on which to build. Traditional Medicare covers a uniform set of benefits for all income groups and provides more generous access to providers and new treatments than public programs in other developed countries. We develop an economic framework to assess the efficiency and equity tradeoffs involved with reforming this generous, uniform structure. We argue that three major shifts make a uniform design less efficient today than when Medicare began in 1965. First, rising income inequality makes it more difficult to design a single plan that serves the needs of both higher- and lower-income people. Second, the dramatic expansion of expensive medical technology means that a generous program increasingly crowds out other public programs valued by the poor and middle class. Finally, as medical spending rises, the tax-financing of the system creates mounting economic costs and increasingly untenable policy constraints. These forces motivate reforms that shift towards a more basic public benefit that individuals can “top-up” with private spending. If combined with an increase in other progressive transfers, such a reform could improve efficiency and reduce public spending while benefiting low income populations.

Progress and challenges for the Japanese immunization program: Beyond the “vaccine gap”

The Japanese immunization program has made considerable recent progress. The introduction of several new vaccines, especially foreign-produced vaccines, and the inclusion of important new vaccines in the National Immunization Program (NIP) are closing the “vaccine gap”, i.e., the delay in the Japanese immunization program relative to programs in other developed countries. Major progress in the Japanese immunization program since 2014 includes (1) elimination of measles in March 2015, (2) introduction of a varicella vaccine as a routine immunization in the NIP in October 2015, and (3) introduction of hepatitis B virus vaccines as routine immunizations in the NIP in October 2016. Despite these promising developments, important issues remain. First, the government withdrew the active recommendation for human papilloma virus vaccines temporarily in 2013. The withdrawal has continued and unresolved despite new scientific evidence confirming the safety of these vaccines. Second, a few important voluntary vaccines, including vaccines for mumps and rotavirus, have not been included in the NIP since their introduction to Japan. Finally, there are concerns related to a shortage of mandatory domestic vaccines, which was caused by a natural disaster in the area where a vaccine-producing factory was located. Additionally, the manufacturer included unauthorized additives in some vaccine products with falsifying the production-process records. To avoid problems related to vaccine shortages, essential vaccines need to be stockpiled, and the future vaccine needs for children should to be discussed. New initiatives must continue to close the vaccine gap, as this will protect children living in Japan from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Comparative Analysis of Evaluation Systems for National R&D Programs in Developed Countries

Comparative Analysis of Evaluation Systems for National R&D Programs in Developed Countries

THE TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM IN CANADA: LABOUR MARKET SOLUTION OR OPEN DOOR FOR ABUSE?

One of the most controversial and often-discussed aspects of the modern global migration system is the issue of precarious labour in the context of migration. In both unauthorized migrants, in particular in the United States and Europe, and authorized guest worker regimes, most prominent in the GulfMonarchies, employers and firms have found large pools of labour not subject to the same legal and social norms as the native workforce. This trend, which has existed since at least the post-World War II period but has been rapidly increasing in the 21st century, has not been without controversy, from a variety of political perspectives. Precarious workers in these conditions are sometimes accused of “stealing” jobs from native-born workers or of driving down working conditions in the receiving countries. Conversely, many NGOs concerned with human rights have drawn attention to the various abusive and exploitative elements embedded within these regimes. Workers are often tied to one particular employer, may not be subject to minimum wage or other workplace legislation and often live in squalid conditions.This paper will investigate the various controversies around the Canadian Temporary ForeignWorker Program (TFWP), with a particular focus on the effects, or lack thereof, of recent reforms to the program. In doing so, it will compare the policies and application of Canada’s program to other, similar programs in developed countries in order to create an accurate portrait of the programs stated and implicit goals and how successful it is achieving them. In addition, the paper will attempt to locate the TFWP’s place within the wider system of migration control policy in the Canadian context, and the extent to which it is congruent with the broader stated values of these policies.

Benefits of the U.S. Program for Terrorism Insurance from a Comparative Perspective

This article summarizes the U.S. program for terrorism insurance and outlines its advantages as compared to similar programs in other developed countries. The program, while similar to reinsurance, does not require participants to pay premiums but instead uses an ex post recoupment mechanism. Consequently, it is generally referred to as a “Federal backstop.” This approach requires less capital investment and makes “pricing” more accurate than a reinsurance approach. The program also requires insurers to maintain significant amounts of exposure through insurer deductibles and copayments, which creates market demand for the development of terrorism reinsurance in the private market. The current program extends until 2020, though perhaps it will be extended further in the future.

Using flash cards to engage Indonesian nursing students in reflection on their practice

Reflective practice is now widely used as a critical learning tool in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing programs in most developed countries. However in developing countries, reflective practice is in its infancy. To introduce reflective practice to postgraduate students in an Indonesian nursing education institution. This paper presents the positive meanings of reflection and reflective practice experienced by the students and the way they used reflection within their practice. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted to explore the meaning of reflection or reflective practice using flashcards. A clinical reflective practice model taking into consideration Indonesian culture was developed and applied during students' clinical placement. A few weeks post clinical placement, 21 students participated in an evaluation session. The meaning of reflection or reflective practice was explored using flash cards containing images of people and environment with different situations and events. Students were asked to choose a card that represented their viewpoints about reflective practice and share it with the group. Data were digitally captured and analyzed using thematic analysis. Reflection provided a positive experience for the students. In their own words, they discussed their journey of using reflection during the clinical placement period. The use of reflection was identified as expanding their view of nursing practice, providing a safe place to explore their experiences and clarity when they encountered challenging situations during their clinical practice. Reflecting on practice experiences resulted in increased self-awareness, and enhanced their learning. The findings indicate that reflective practice can be implemented successfully in Indonesia and may have value for other Eastern countries that share similar cultural characteristics. The use of flash cards assisted the students describe through stories their experiences of participating in this reflective practice program.

Construction safety practices and challenges in a Middle Eastern developing country

The construction industry remains one of the most dangerous industries in the world accounting for a high percentage of work-related injuries and fatalities despite the establishment and implementation of safety programs in several developed countries. In developing countries where safety and health programs are still at their infancy or lack proper implementation, the situation is more critical. Lebanon, a small developing country in the Middle East region, has been witnessing a substantial growth in its construction market. However, achieving a safe work environment has been an ongoing challenge. This study aims at assessing current safety practices in the Lebanese construction industry through conducting one-to-one interviews with the different parties concerned including contractors, consultants, owners, insurance companies and governmental authorities. The study revealed the existence of construction labor safety law but the absence of its enforcement, the initiation of safety programs but the lack of any monitoring or follow-up, and a lack of safety education and commitment from all parties involved. The paper concludes with highlighting potential venues for enhancing safety awareness and adoption in Lebanon, which may be of insight to other developing countries in the region.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation of a Developmental Assessment for Arabic-Speaking Children With Visual Impairment

Developmental screening has become an established component of child health programs in many developed countries. The research objective of this project was to translate and adapt a developmental assessment (Oregon Project Skills Inventory) for use with young children with visual impairments who speak Arabic. The study was prompted by the lack of developmental screening tools in Arabic and to determine whether young children with visual impairments in Qatar were meeting developmental milestones within normal limits. This project has the potential to make significant contributions to the field of cross-cultural assessment.

Anti-D-immunoprophylaxis

The working out and introducing of anti-D-immunoprofylaxis program in the time of pregnancy in foreign countries and Russia are discussed, effectiveness of its long-term using on the base of the federal programs in developed European countries and America is analyzed; necessity and economic advisability of its introducing on the base of the federal and municipal programs in Russia from the evidence-based medicine point of view are considered, indications and arguable points of the program are discussed.

Uptake of a national primary mental health program by young people in Australia

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine the uptake of an Australian primary mental health care program (Access to Allied Psychological Services) by young people aged 12 to 25 years and the characteristics of consumers and the treatments received. Data were sourced from a national web-based minimum dataset.ResultsBetween 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2012, 51 716 young consumers received 245 704 sessions via the primary mental health program. Around two thirds were female and the average age was 19 years. The majority had depressive and/or anxiety disorders.Most services were delivered to individuals (including just the young person and/or the young person with one or both parents), in a face-to-face context and free of charge. Cognitive and behavioral strategies were the most common interventions delivered.ConclusionsThe primary mental health care program has been well utilized by people aged 12 to 25 years. Similar programs in other developed countries may improve access to primary mental health care for young people.

A framework for revising preservice curriculum for nonphysician clinicians: The mozambique experience.

Mozambique, with approximately 0.4 physicians and 4.1 nurses per 10,000 people, has one of the lowest ratios of health care providers to population in the world. To rapidly scale up health care coverage, the Mozambique Ministry of Health has pushed for greater investment in training nonphysician clinicians, Tιcnicos de Medicina (TM). Based on identified gaps in TM clinical performance, the Ministry of Health requested technical assistance from the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) to revise the two-and-a-half-year preservice curriculum. A six-step process was used to revise the curriculum: (i) Conducting a task analysis, (ii) defining a new curriculum approach and selecting an integrated model of subject and competency-based education, (iii) revising and restructuring the 30-month course schedule to emphasize clinical skills, (iv) developing a detailed syllabus for each course, (v) developing content for each lesson, and (vi) evaluating implementation and integrating feedback for ongoing improvement. In May 2010, the Mozambique Minister of Health approved the revised curriculum, which is currently being implemented in 10 training institutions around the country. Key lessons learned: (i) Detailed assessment of training institutions' strengths and weaknesses should inform curriculum revision. (ii) Establishing a Technical Working Group with respected and motivated clinicians is key to promoting local buy-in and ownership. (iii) Providing ready-to-use didactic material helps to address some challenges commonly found in resource-limited settings. (iv) Comprehensive curriculum revision is an important first step toward improving the quality of training provided to health care providers in developing countries. Other aspects of implementation at training institutions and health care facilities must also be addressed to ensure that providers are adequately trained and equipped to provide quality health care services. This approach to curriculum revision and implementation teaches several key lessons, which may be applicable to preservice training programs in other less developed countries.

Enhanced Detection of Tuberculous Mycobacteria in Animal Tissues Using a Semi-Nested Probe-Based Real-Time PCR

Bovine tuberculosis has been tackled for decades by costly eradication programs in most developed countries, involving the laboratory testing of tissue samples from allegedly infected animals for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) members, namely Mycobacterium bovis. Definitive diagnosis is usually achieved by bacteriological culture, which may take up to 6–12 weeks, during which the suspect animal carcass and herd are under sanitary arrest. In this work, a user-friendly DNA extraction protocol adapted for tissues was coupled with an IS6110-targeted semi-nested duplex real-time PCR assay to enhance the direct detection of MTC bacteria in animal specimens, reducing the time to achieve a diagnosis and, thus, potentially limiting the herd restriction period. The duplex use of a novel β-actin gene targeted probe, with complementary targets in most mammals, allowed the assessment of amplification inhibitors in the tissue samples. The assay was evaluated with a group of 128 fresh tissue specimens collected from bovines, wild boars, deer and foxes. Mycobacterium bovis was cultured from 57 of these samples. Overall, the full test performance corresponds to a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 98.2% (CIP95% 89.4–99.9%) and 88.7% (CIP95% 78.5–94.7%), respectively. An observed kappa coefficient was estimated in 0.859 (CIP95% 0.771–0.948) for the overall agreement between the semi-nested PCR assay and the bacteriological culture. Considering only bovine samples (n = 69), the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were estimated in 100% (CIP95% 84.0–100%) and 97.7% (CIP95% 86.2–99.9%), respectively. Eight negative culture samples exhibiting TB-like lesions were detected by the semi-nested real-time PCR, thus emphasizing the increased potential of this molecular approach to detect MTC-infected animal tissues. This novel IS6110-targeted assay allows the fast detection of tuberculous mycobacteria in animal specimens with very high sensitivity and specificity, being amenable and cost effective for use in the routine veterinary diagnostic laboratory with further automation possibilities.

Total mercury loadings in sediment from gold mining and conservation areas in Guyana

The Low Carbon Development Strategy proposed in June 2009 by the government of Guyana in response to the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries program has triggered evaluation of forest-related activities, thereby acting as a catalyst for improvements in Guyana's small- to medium-scale gold mining industry. This has also shed light on areas committed to conservation, something that has also been handled by Non Governmental Organizations. This paper compares water quality and mercury concentrations in sediment from four main areas in Guyana, two that are heavily mined for gold using mercury amalgamation methods (Arakaka and Mahdia) and two that are considered conservation areas (Iwokrama and Konashen). Fifty-three sediment and soil mercury loadings ranged from 29 to 1,200 ng/g and averaged 215 ± 187 ng/g for all sites with similar averages in conservation and mining areas. Sediment loadings are within the range seen in French Guiana and Suriname, but conservation area samples had higher loadings than the corresponding uncontaminated baselines. Type of ore and location in the mining process seemed to influence mercury loadings. Mercury sediment loadings were slightly positively correlated with pH (correlation coefficient = 0.2; p value < 0.001) whereas no significant correlations were found with dissolved oxygen or turbidity.