“BE the best you can be and do the unexpected. Good is not enough, go for excellence,” says Berbice Regional Health Authority Champion Worker, Senior Health Visitor Terry Davis-Chester, moments after receiving her prize trip for two to Kaieteur Falls  at the 10th annual awards ceremony held recently in New Amsterdam.

A health care giver for over 37 years, Davis-Chester noted that while the award was unexpected, she thought instead that one of her hard working staff would have been recognized for their efforts. However, she remarked that to gain selection as a champion worker is hard work and one’s output must be maintained at 110%.
Recounting the years spent in the sector, Davis, who is in charge of the Public Health Department which oversees twenty-six health centres across East Berbice/Corentyne, credited Dr. Cummings who was the then  Chief Medical Officer for suggesting that she should undergo the Health Visitor’s programme.
Later it was Dr. Gladstone Mitchell, in his capacity as Regional Health Officer, who posted her to the Cumberland Health Clinic in East Canje where the work was a challenge as the access road was almost impassible.
“That clinic initially served the entire East Canje community  but Dr. Cummings challenged me to relieve  persons coming from the New Forest area, about six miles away, by identifying a building where another clinic could be held. The Keizer Family at Goed Banana Land allowed us to have the first bottom house clinic in 1994.”
Subsequently, representation was made to the Guyana Sugar Corporation for the use of a partially occupied building which the regional administration rehabilitated for use as a clinic.
In the meantime, Davis noted, there was no passable roadway to New Forest but there were residents who needed to access the services which initially dealt with maternal and child health.
“We had to liaise with GuySuCo to use their boats on Mondays, and later rehabilitation works were done on the thoroughfare which allowed residents of New Forest area to use their pedal bicycles to visit the Goed Banana Land Clinic.”
In 2004 the Prevention to Mother to Child Transmission (PMCT) programme came on stream and Cumberland Health Centre was tasked with the pilot project.
However, the nurse noted that initially the programme had to cross hurdles due to the then stigma and discrimination attached to persons with HIV. Persons were then hesitant to be tested and so the project recorded a 50% accessible rate. She recalled that with subsequent development of communication skills by the medical staff, the current acceptance rate is 100% and the target now includes male partners.
Another success for the health sector in Region Six is the reduction of kwashiorkor and marasmus conditions which result from protein deficiency in children.
“As health workers, we recognise that we are public servants and we are no longer sitting in the health centre, but instead we are taking health care to every member of the family.”
“Twenty-five years ago mental health was something spoken about, but it was not unified into the public health programme, but it is now integrated. We now have community health workers who are a link to the community. Our HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine targeting girls in a bid to reduce cervical cancer has recorded the highest percentage accessible rate, and our centres have a full compliment of staff, including two midwives and a visiting doctor.”
In the meantime, despite the many successes there are some challenges which still remain in the sector, such as telephone services, Davis-Chester observed.
‘Twenty years ago we did not have telephone services in any of the centres, but in this 21st century ten of those centres are fitted with telephones. However, Dr. Mahadeo is attempting to have the service available at all the health centres,” the champion worker said.
Despite the challenges, Davis added that Region Six has the hardest working group of people who meet their mandate by knowing each member of their respective community.
“We are more than seven to three, or eight to four health workers….”