Eighty more graduated with certificates in health sciences education
EIGHTY persons graduated with certificates, on Tuesday, in several areas of health sciences education. It was in keeping with the mandate of the subject ministry, to produce well-rounded individuals to take the sector forward, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Leslie Cadogan, said at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.
He was delivering the charge to the graduates, who were trained under the Ministry’s Technical Programme.
Cadogan said sustainable human resource development in the Health Sector is key to the acceleration of economic growth and the training is to help fill the gap in its institutions.
He advised the new graduate professionals to ensure that, at all times, they display the correct behaviour and work in the expected professional manner, since they are aware of the laws which govern their training.
He told them, “I know that you were taught about the laws that govern your training and the standards that are expected of you, with no excuses. I must ask you to be vigilant in the tasks in the various regional district hospitals to which you would be assigned.”
Noting that each of the graduating group will be placed in a regional district hospital, he warned them that, as long as he is the Permanent Secretary, no improper behaviour will be condoned.
Cadogan reminded them that, to arrive at where they are today, called for many  sacrifices, not from them alone, but from all the parties involved. He said he is impressed by the efforts made by each to ensure that they receive the best training that is available at their level.

MAJOR IMPROVEMENT
According to him, for the last three years, there has been a major improvement in the health budget to accommodate training that seeks to make sure that there is a better Guyana and that citizens receive up-to- date health services.
He said the annual budget of the ministry has increased, tremendously, by millions of dollars, to facilitate the fundamental and necessary delivery of quality care to the populace and improve the status countrywide.
Cadogan said Guyana‘s developmental thrust is guided by the millennium indicators, which seek to increase training and is geared towards the reduction of child mortality and the improvement of maternal health care.
“I, therefore, wish to inform the public that the Ministry of Health is committed to those indicators, which seek to increase training and facilitation and the reduction and improvement in maternal health and child mortality,” he said.
Cadogan said this commitment by the Health Ministry is made evident by the construction and rehabilitation of facilities countrywide to accommodate and provide more services to citizens.
“We are investing in doctors, in various areas, such as dentists, surgeons and so on, and these specialists, including nurses, medexes, dental practitioners and rehabilitation professionals, these categories all man the various health facilities countrywide. We have invested in the procurement of drugs and equipment for hospitals to ensure that the Guyanese population can be adequately treated,” he explained.
Additionally, he pointed to the government initiative to have the establishment of a modernised specialist hospital which will make sure that Guyanese no longer have to seek medical services abroad.
“The Ministry of Health has already begun its preparatory works to commence the construction of the modern specialty hospital. This will reduce the cost of persons seeking medical specialist treatment overseas. At the ministry, we are committed to delivering quality care to our population throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, free of cost to communities, as we seek to respond to their health needs,” he assured.

PUBLIC SERVANTS
Cadogan challenged the graduates to treat every patient who presents himself/herself before them with respect, and urged them to remember that they are the public servants of the people.
He said, many times, health workers are disconnected from the people they are required to attend and this brings about a diversion in the health sector, causing people to talk down every single person in the sector.
“Many of us, in the various health institutions, disconnect from the people and we treat them as if they need us and not we need them. I further say that the ministry protocols and objectives must be observed at all times in the dispensation of our various technical duties,” the PS instructed the graduates.
He said the ministry will not tolerate neither encourage any staff who does not comply with the standards in the delivery of health care and investigations will be carried out.
“We will investigate all complains as long as they are brought to our attention,” Cadogan warned.