AS Government works towards providing a better quality of health care to the population, the country’s Regional Health Officers and Programme Heads are meeting to discuss the challenges they face in executing their mandate in the hinterland areas, and to also address their achievements.The two-day meeting, which opened yesterday, is being held at the Regency Suites, Hadfield Street. The workshop allows Regional Health Officers (RHOs) and Directors to engage in direct dialogue with programme heads, while reviewing their challenges, and engaging in discussions on areas of collaboration.

The meeting targeted RHOs and programme heads from Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten.
The officers had an opportunity to present a report on health services in their respective Regions, after which they highlighted some of the areas on which they can improve.

The event saw participation from Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, Deputy Permanent Secretary Mr Trevor Thomas, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Mr Norman Whittaker, and Representative of Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Dr. William Adu-Krow.

Minister Ramsaran, in his remarks, said Guyana now has more doctors in the health institutions than before, due to the number of young doctors who graduated from the Cuba/Guyana Scholarship Programme.

“Every single district hospital, and not only Lethem, Aishalton, Annai and Karasabai which are big communities with health centres, but all have substantive doctors, not only Medics,” he said.
He urged the gathering to make full use of the resources provided by the Government to ensure that patients in the various hinterland areas receive quality health care. He said that while there may be many challenges in meeting the demands of the public, since the hinterland areas are the most demanding, RHOs must try their best to meet these expectations, and not use the challenges as an excuse for failing to deliver.

Dr Ramsaran also alluded to the fact that the Ministry of Health has been successful in eliminating certain diseases that could have had severe economic impact on the lives of citizens.
Meanwhile, Minister Whittaker made mention of the responsibility his ministry has in ensuring the provision of health services across the country.

“We support the Ministry of Health in ensuring that every single resident, who wishes to access health services in those regions, be able to do so, and in this regard we reach out to the population, wherever they are, to ensure that they be better informed on good health practices,” Whittaker said.

Day one of the meeting also saw presentations on the update of the health services in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten, along with an update on Maternal and Child Health from Dr. Janice Woolford, Director of Maternal and Child Health; Mental Health from Dr. Bhiro Harry, Psychiatrist, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, and issues surrounding Drugs and Medical Supplies presented by Mr. Lee Van De Santos.

The meeting will continue today, and is expected to see presentations on Regions Nine and Ten health services, an update on Vector Borne Diseases by Dr. Reyaud Rahman, Director of Vector Control Services (VCS); and on Tuberculosis by Dr. Jeetendra Mohanlall, Director of the National Tuberculosis Programme. (GINA)