THE Bethany Health Centre is a model worthy of emulation by all health centres throughout Guyana, but especially in the hinterland regions, when it comes to ordering and storage of medicine.Even though the deep riverine centre is about 20 miles from the Suddie Hospital, it is perhaps the only health centre which is never out of drugs.
Romona Thomas, a midwife who mans the centre, told the Guyana Chronicle that she has been a health worker in the settlement for the past 14 years and is familiar with the health symptoms of the village.
“At certain times of the year, the place is very hot and at other times it is rainy. These conditions bring with them health issues, whether it may be a cold or fever. During these times, I order medicine to treat these illnesses and the excess amount, I store them, and I make sure they are never out of stock. Only emergency cases I refer to the Suddie Hospital, which is the main hospital on the Essequibo Coast,” she told the Guyana Chronicle, pointing out that the simple remedy to deal with a shortage is to “think ahead.”
This simple strategy has kept the villagers of Bethany in good health, and they have come to know Midwife Thomas as someone they can count on.

Some of the common illnesses of the settlement include respiratory infections and diarrhoea, with very few cases of typhoid, hypertension and diabetes.
“On occasion, I also treat injuries due to accidents, where someone falls off a tractor or was hit by a tractor or persons suffer injuries in a fight,” she said.
This publication understands that fights among villagers seldom occur and when they do, the majority of the times they are fist fights fuelled by alcohol abuse.
The residents sang high praises for Thomas whom, they contend, work above and beyond the call of duty and can be reached at any time, in any day of the week.
But all is not well for Midwife Thomas. She related to this newspaper that the health centre does not have a cleaner and in an effort to ensure its , so that she can dedicate more of her time to practise and to her family.
The absence of a cleaner apart, the centre does not have lights and this makes work at nights a challenge, said Thomas, who noted that on many occasions she had to use a torchlight to work.
The Guyana Chronicle was told that regional officials have promised to fix this situation sooner rather later and to also give the settlement a boat, especially for cases of medical emergencies.