THE first Regional Health Officers (RHOs) Conference for 2010 began yesterday and Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy contends that it is not another talk shop, but rather it provides an opportunity to correct deficiencies in the system. “There is always progress after these meetings. Not all of the problems are solved, but there is progress…this is an opportunity for us to correct the deficiencies,” he told the Guyana Chronicle in an interview.
The conference is a three-day activity, held at the Regency Suites Hotel, and is being conducted under the theme ‘Working towards a stronger Regional Health Care System’. It is the first of two meetings held each year.
The meeting of the RHOs provide an opportunity for them to report on the progress for the year and engage in discussion pertaining to their responsibilities. The forum is also used as a platform to advance presentations on other relevant issues. In the next few days these issues will include Health Sciences Education, the Basic Nutrition Programme and updates on matters like the malaria situation in Guyana.
A primary area of focus at the Conference was the need for the RHOs to better manage their resources.
Ramsammy said: “Most of the regions have enough doctors that can be sent to the health centers, but you have to manage them. There are difficulties in some regions.”
He pointed out that never in the history of Guyana has there been the number of health professionals who are currently operating in the health sector.
These professionals include doctors, nurses and pharmacists, among others.
However, the Health Minister maintained that Guyana is still not a stage where each health care delivery institution can be equipped with its own doctor.
In this context, the Health Minister said, “We still have to share resources…we have to manage them.”
He added that in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) the Berbice Regional Health Authority is making progress with the management of its resources, hence it has become a model for other regions.
A Model
“Region Six is the model for how it should be done. Every single health centre there has a doctor visiting them at least once per week,” Ramsammy said.
The Health Minister said the doctors at New Amsterdam Hospital also serve the health centres in Canje.
He explained that similarly the doctors at Port Mourant service the health centers near there.
“It is a management issue,” he posited.
He noted that the matter is not one where there must be a doctor at each health centre, but ensuring that there are outreaches that facilitate the delivery of health care in a strategic manner.
“The human resources is being managed well in Region Six, but unfortunately this management is not as effective across the board…these meetings are intended to share experiences. These meetings are useful,” Ramsammy said.
The Health Minister said the RHOs are not employees of the Ministry of Health, rather they are employed by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and hence the meeting is open to the other regional representatives.
Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, stressed that the meeting of the RHOs is a significant one.
Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Narine Singh, in an invited comment, said the meeting provides an opportunity for review and evaluation.
“We are also able to get feedback from the RHOs to see how far along they are with their work programmes and what their challenges are,” he said.
Policy Lines
Singh explained that most importantly the Conference is a chance to deliberate on new policy lines, based on the evaluations done, and have them integrated into the regional health systems.
Permanent Secretary, Mr. Hydar Ally, who also spoke to the Guyana Chronicle, reiterated this and added that the conference allows for stock taking, after which the participants can deliberate and come up with ideas that will improve the delivery of health care.
“The challenge for the RHOs is for them to think differently, be innovative in addressing the issues that come up on a daily basis,” Ally said.
The Permanent Secretary noted that there have been significant improvements in the health sector, in terms of infrastructure and, importantly, achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The RHOs present for the Conference generally concurred that the meeting is an important forum that allows them to share experiences, voice concerns, network and have a say in the advancement of health care delivery in Guyana.