SINCE the start of the year, the Ministry of Health has been partnering with the corporate community to provide medical care including eye care, via screening and treatment and dental services to their employees and people frequenting the commercial areas. This approach has resulted in over 300 Guyanese accessing free medical attention within proximity of their respective work places.
The aim of these outreaches is to take the much needed services to the community so as to meet the needs of residents, particularly the elderly.
These activities have now been expanded to include religious organisations as Saturday an outreach was held at the Masjid An-Najm and Social Centre in Albouystown, Georgetown, where both Muslims and non-Muslims gathered to receive general and eye care services.
Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, noted that many other religious organisations are involved in facilitating such outreaches and in this regard, the call now is for more organisations to tap into this effort.
He added that apart from providing medical services, lectures are also done which provide pertinent information about a range of health issues to the public.
Minister Ramsaran stated that shortly, one of the ministry’s oral health caravans will be stationed in the community to provide dental health, in partnership with the Rotary Club.
Director of the Masjid An-Najm and Social Centre, Naeem Muhammad, noted that the outreach is in line with the objectives of the organisation, which is to bring social services to the people of the community. He indicated his satisfaction to partner with the Ministry of Health, and by extension, the Government of Guyana.
It is hoped that similar outreaches will be carried out more often.
He explained that an assessment will be done based on the medical needs of the community so as to determine what other services can be included in the outreaches.
A similar activity is scheduled today for Masjid al Nur in Parfaite Harmonie, Region 3.