HEALTH Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran on Thursday tendered a written response in the National Assembly

to an enquiry from Dr. Karen Cummings, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, regarding the ‘Advance in Labour And Risk Management’ (ALARM) training done by the Ministry of Health for the period 2008 to 2014.

The response detailed that, in 2007, the ALARM International Programme (AIP) was implemented in Guyana through the collaborative efforts of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC), the Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Country Office for Guyana, and the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Ramsaran indicated that for the years 2008/2013, a total of 938 health care workers have been trained in the ALARM International Programme (AIP) to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Dr. Ramsaran noted that health care workers have been trained as Medexes, midwives, doctors, midwifery tutors and health visitors; and training of these personnel has been done in all regions of Guyana.

He said the number of health care workers trained in 2008 was 141; 2009 was 171; 2010 was 115; 2011 was 37; 2012 was 85; 2013 was 330, and 2014 was 84.

The goal of the ALARM International Programme (AIP) in Guyana was to provide the local partners (Ministry of Health’s Georgetown and New Amsterdam Training Centres) with the technical expertise, guidance and support necessary to implement the AIP within their training centres, while encouraging the development of obstetrical and midwifery professional associations in Guyana.

The project included development of action plans for implementation of AIP; training of health professionals, including training for AIP instructors; and a comprehensive evaluation of the benefits and limits of the delivery of AIP.

(By Sandy Agasen)