Health Ministry establishes early identification, intervention services
THE Rehabilitation Services Department of the portfolio Ministry, on Tuesday, established a core group of early identification and intervention services that will both strengthen the primary care system and further improve child health. The move is aimed at supporting the existing child health programmes of the Ministry and non-governmental organisations, as well as strengthening the referral pathway across which many professionals work in age group 0 to 4 years.
Early Identification and Intervention Adviser, Ms. Maria Sheena Villareal and her team were joined, on the occasion at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC), in Carmichael Street, Georgetown, by health and other sector stakeholders.
Villareal said partnerships, in early identification and interventions for children with development delays and disabilities, is quintessential.
“We are working very closely with the Maternal and Child Health Department,” she said.
The other places that will be implementing the early identification and intervention procedure, include Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Eye Care Guyana, Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH, West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) and National Commission on Disability (NCD).
According to Villareal, the services include not only testing eyes and ears but also utilising a tool called ‘Ages and Stages’, which is a questionnaire to be used by primary health care and community health workers to identify development problems in children.
Additionally, she said parents at health care facilities will be supported with kits and a checklist to know what signs to look for as their children grow.
“With the help and support, children with development delays and disabilities, as well as their families, will be better able to cope. The children will be able to develop to their full potential,” Villareal assured.

Important
She maintained that early identification and intervention are important to ensuring that children have the support they need as they grow.
“We need to recognise the signs early and act now,” the expert said.
Prior to the latest introduction, the ministry provided a range of educational and therapeutic options to families and their children with and/or those with high risk of developmental delay and disability.
That programme targeted children between the ages 0 and 3 years and the objective was to educate and assist parents as well as society in managing and coping with the daily challenges at home and in the community.
However, Villareal said the new programme is an improved one and a physiotherapist with the team, Ms. Erika Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle it is supported by the (British) Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and the European Union (EU).
She noted that with the expansion of its scope, health workers in several regions will be trained and increased screening will be done in schools.
Persaud said, as the year progresses, particularly during Rehabilitation Week this month, there will be an array of activities.