AS part of the country’s goal to tackle the issue of intimate partner violence, the Health Ministry and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation have collaborated with the Vanderbilt University of the United States of America to implement strategies that will assist persons suffering or affected by this common problem in society.

The goal behind the collaborative effort is to increase healthcare providers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in asking and responding to intimate partner violence.

Addressing a press conference at the Cara Lodge yesterday, Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that Guyana has one of the most dominant domestic violence and sexual offenses act in the Caribbean, which has been amended recently to make it more contemporary.

“In addition, following the ‘stamp it out’ campaign in 2006-2008, Guyana introduced the new sexual offenses act and we are in the process of implementing this,” Ramsammy stated.

The health minister believes that this collaboration comes at a time when the ministry is working to assist health workers in providing support necessary to deal with persons affected by the abuse.

“It also comes at a time when partner violence is at the highest point on the public health agenda”.

The minister announced that back in 2008, when he was president of the World Health Organisation, he paved the way for partner violence to be high on the public health agenda and also the global health agenda.

“Since then, Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has broadened partners violence as a priority on the public health agenda, and I am glad that all health ministers have agreed that partners violence will be reported annually to the heads of state in the Caribbean” he added.

He said that Guyana should be playing a leading and significant role in ensuring that the country develops strategies to tackle these issues, since he himself has been a pioneer in eliminating it.

He noted that there is a need for compulsory hospitality basics and services that include legal interaction to come in place.

“This collaboration is one that Guyana welcomes and is one that is much needed,” Ramsammy added.

The collaboration also seeks to define intimate partner violence, to recognise intimate partner violence as a common and serious health problem, to recognize the historical and physical clues to the diagnosis of intimate partner violence, to discuss intimate partner violence with patients, and to respond appropriately when patients disclose intimate partner violence.