By Svetlana Marshall

NON-PERFORMERS within the public healthcare system should be sent packing, the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Country Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, has said.Dr. Adu-Krow made this suggestion during the opening session of the Regional Health Officers and Programme Heads Meeting on Monday at the Regency Suites, in the presence of junior Health Minister Dr. Karen Cummings.

The PAHO/WHO representative underscored the importance of accountability and performance at the workplace as he addressed the gathering, which also included Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Kay Shako; Permanent Secretary of the Public Health Ministry, Trevor Thomas; and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shamdeo Persaud.

In highlighting the need for a performance framework, Dr. Adu-Krow, said the healthcare system should not be held back by persons who have little or no interest in moving the system forward.

“If persons don’t perform, get rid of them,” Dr. Adu-Krow said. He said if there is no proper system in place to measure the quality of work being offered by healthcare personnel, the sector would not be able to effectively fulfill its roles and objectives.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have to have a performance framework; without that, it is going to be same old, same old, same old,” he lamented.

Similarly, he said there is need for an accountability framework. In making his case, the PAHO/WHO Country Representative pointed out that Guyana was successful in achieving two of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), although significant progress has been made in the other six areas.

He said now that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on the agenda, there are 17 goals to be achieved, with MDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) alone having 14 indicators.

Dr. Adu-Krow said that in order to have a greater number of goals achieved, the accountability system must be enhanced significantly, with focus on evaluation, data collection and reporting.

In addition, he called for the employ of more evidence-based practice and decisions.

SHAPE UP OR ELSE
“You either shape up or shape out,” Dr. Adu-Krow emphasised, noting that healthcare professionals in Guyana ought to do better for residents and non-residents living here.

Permanent Secretary Trevor Thomas, in his address, also called for greater accountability within the system, particularly when dealing with medicine and medical supplies.

“We have a serious problem accounting for medicine,” Thomas told the regional health officers and programme heads present. He explained that there have been cases when outreaches were conducted and there was little or no accountability for the quantity of medication distributed.

As the health sector gears up for a new year (2017), Thomas said, emphasis must not only be placed on capacity-building, but also on having greater accountability. On the part of the Government, Thomas said, he and permanent secretaries from the ministries of Communities, Indigenous People’s Affairs and Education hold monthly meetings to discuss the health needs of the 10 administrative regions in the absence of regional health authorities.

COLLABORATION
In keeping with the theme of the meeting: “Collaboratively we build a resilient health care system that is acceptable, accessible, timely and appropriate to meet the needs of every person in Guyana”, Minister Cummings underscored the importance of collaboration, positing that the Public Health Ministry cannot do it alone.

“The delivery of public health care and public health care services is undeniably a collaborative one…. The ministries of Communities and Public Health must work collaboratively to ensure that public health care services are delivered to every Guyanese in the most competent and proficient way possibly,” she stated.

Cognisant of the issues highlighted by Dr. Adu Krow and Permanent Secretary Trevor Thomas, Minister Cummings said the improvement of public healthcare systems remains a national priority that focuses on strategic approaches.
These projects, programmes and initiatives will enhance the safety, effectiveness, patient-centredness, timing, efficiency, equitability, and accessibility of best quality care and healthcare practices and facilities across Guyana, she said.

“We recognise that RHS (Regional Health Service) is the nerve centre of the Ministry of Public Health. It is through the RHS Department that public health care is delivered in every region. Therefore it is imperative that each officer in the department in the respective regions recognises that he or she has a major responsibility to provide optimum service to each person in the region who requires health care,” Minister Cummings explained.

That responsibility must be taken seriously, she cautioned, noting that it is essential for all regions to be given the best quality healthcare. As such, she said, regional health officers must have mutual relationships in order to be able to advance the work of the Ministry while providing essential and sensitive services.

“This Ministry operates in service to the people of Guyana. I urge that each of you rally your charges and together let us do our utmost to deliver the best quality public healthcare we possibly can. We must all work assiduously to preserve the image of this Ministry while serving the needs of the Guyanese people. It is undeniable that efficient and effective service will ensure that the healthcare needs of our Guyanese people are met,” Minister Cummings emphasised.

The Regional Health Officers and Programme Heads Meeting will conclude on Thursday following intense discussions on the operations of the regional health facilities, leprosy, vector control services, and maternal and child health, among other areas.