IN a continued effort to enhance the health sector’s manpower, the Ministry of Health is providing the opportunity for youths to pursue medical careers. On January 3, 2011, training will commence in four areas– environmental and pharmacy assistants and x-ray and medical laboratory technicians.
The provision of these programmes is a part of the Ministry’s mandate which is to ensure continued up-grades of medical professionals’ qualifications and making available training for new personnel.
Other programmes offered by the Ministry include the alternative medex programme, medex, community health worker (CHW), pharmacy and rehabilitation assistant, audiological practitioner, medical laboratory and x-ray technician, environmental health assistant, dentex diploma, dentex certificate, community dental therapist, dental assistant, single trained/rural mid-wife, professional nurse, nurse assistant and refractionist.
Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, noted that the 2006 manifesto outlined the construction and rehabilitation of health facilities, including the new diagnostic centres, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the CC Nicholson hospital.
Following the fulfillment of this promise by the Administration, it was recognised that additional personnel was needed to staff the facilities, and as such the new programmes were introduced to provide adequate support staff for the doctors and nurses stationed at the various health facilities.
Dr. Ramsaran also noted that following last year’s National Toshaos Conference, the current CHW training programme commenced, due to requests by the Toshaos for such persons in their communities. The programme accommodated 25 persons from hinterland and riverine communities.
Additionally, if the need for more CHWs is indicated by the Toshaos at the current Toshaos Conference, the Health Ministry is prepared to commence training for another batch of trainees, earlier than usual.
The mid-year report indicated that $111.8M has been spent during the first half of the year for training of over 1,200 students in nursing, clinical and technical fields across the country.
The health sector is expected to benefit from an increase in health personnel with the graduation of over 670 persons, including professional nurses, nursing assistants, post-basic midwives, single trained midwives, pharmacy assistants, CHW, audiology practitioners, and X-ray and medical laboratory technicians.
The deployment of these medical personnel is critical in meeting the growing demand for health care services across the country. (GINA)