– Ramsaran
MINISTER in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran said yesterday that efforts at coordination to improve facilities nationwide are continuing, in keeping with the responsibility to oversee the delivery of services in the ten Administrative Regions. He said, since the year began, the Ministry has embarked on several initiatives towards that objective and, in the process, small health centres are also being revamped, simultaneously with bigger projects, as those centres are seen as the essence of primary health care.
The US$35,000 East La Penitence Health Centre, built through a partnership between the Government of Guyana and the United States (U.S.) based New Horizons Guyana Programme, is one such facility which has undergone significant improvements this year, Ramsaran said.
He said, to increase its ability to deliver services to community members, the clinic, which has a pharmacy, a room to screen women for cervical cancer, a refraction room for eye testing and ward-like accommodation for foot care, had a donated dental unit added.
Last September 10, the centre got the addition which was made possible through the work of marines from the High Speed Vessel Swift of the U.S. Navy, who were visiting to assist with new expertise and offer community support.
“It has not yet been a year and, already, we are adding new services,” Ramsaran said about the centre.
An external waiting area was also added and its use extends to community development purposes, with a permanent doctor posted there and clinic days for the various services rotated for optimum efficiency, he reported.

Benefits
Alluding to benefits from the improvements, Ramsaran said the quality services available at East La Penitence will advance the Ministry’s vision for delivering care to all Guyanese.
Last October, Campbellville Health Centre underwent rehabilitation at a cost of $8.4M and, being the most frequented in the city, Sophia Health Centre was established to alleviate some of the pressure on it.
However, the work load at Campbellville has not significantly decreased as more persons are utilising it and the Ministry rose to the challenge and had it expanded.
Apart from the overall upgrade and expansion, the upper flat of the building, which once housed a Municipal Day Care clinic, was renovated to facilitate the Environmental Health Assistance Programme and the Medex Training Programme that was previously executed at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, without any disruption in services.
“I want persons to visit these locations and to witness the improvements in the services as well as the infrastructure,” Ramsaran urged.
In October, too, Buxton Health Centre, on East Coast Demerara, as well, was renovated with $1.5M and, with sponsorship from President Bharrat Jagdeo through the Ministry of Health, a new doctor, Dr. David Nelson was posted there.
The enhancements followed the discovery that the building required renovation, as many rooms were in a state of disrepair and a section of the roof was replaced and an additional septic tank provided.
The improvements would render the place better able to provide health services to the residents and Ramsaran acknowledged that it is the duty of the Health Ministry to maintain all such institutions and facilitate the needs of the people.