–during simulation exercise in Region Seven

THE ‘structured, coherent and collaborative’ nature of Guyana’s Health Multi-Hazard Emergency Management Plan was last week put to the test and proven at Bartica, seat of administration for Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Sponsored by the Public Health Ministry, PAHO/WHO and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the four-day simulation exercise was designed to test the Health Multi-Hazard Emergency Management Plan, which outlines its capacity to manage any disaster in the gold-mining municipality.

Region Seven Chairman Mr Gordon Bradford, who lauded the initiative, reminded the 25 participants during his address that “once you understand something, you are better able to respond. Your early and timely response may very well save lives or more destruction.”
Stressing the pivotal role of preparedness, Bradford pointed trainees to the outcomes of catastrophic events.
“For instance, when we look at flooding,” he said, “everybody thinks about rainfall and water on the land, and everyone feels that’s the end of it. But if we are not prepared, and we don’t take the correct action, the aftermath of the flood might be more devastation than the flood itself.”

According to Deputy Chairman, Olinda Kyrenhoff-Griffith, “I would say that the training was much needed. Things were done in the past, but we hadn’t a functional structure in place. Now all the agencies will be able to better respond if a crisis or disaster hits the region.”

She also commended the initiative as “an opening to make stakeholders understand their functions in a health situation,” as health involves everyone and not just the hospital administration.

Major Sean Welcome, CDCs Preparedness and Response Manager, said the Regional Multi-Hazard Prepardness and Response Plan (RMHPRP) outlines how regional authorities and stakeholders conduct Disaster Risk Management (DRM) within their regions.
The plan details all hazard/comprehensive approach to the DRM, Welcome explained.
As facilitator of the exercise, Welcome said that Barticians will benefit in many ways from implementation of the plan.

“Generally, it provides them a structured and coherent and collaborative framework that facilitates better and enhanced DRM in facilitating timely response, detailed and accurate damage assessment,” Welcome said, adding:
“I believe I was able to achieve the objectives of the four days. The manifestation of this achievement is the quality of inputs from the participants during the exercise; the demonstration of learning and the transfer of knowledge.”

Environmental Health Officer (EHO), Alicia Newton, said her department plays a vital role in sensitising the community on maintenance measures to facilitate proper sanitation at all times, especially in cases of a health emergency or disaster.
Kelwya Yaw, Officer in Charge at the Bartica Fire Station, said: “It is important that each agency understands their roles and functions, especially since some of us are first responders in a situation.”

Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Edward Sagala, said the simulation exercise has better prepared the hospital administration and other stakeholders to handle emergencies and disasters.

PAHO/WHO’s Disaster Preparedness and Response and Smart Hospitals Initiative consultant, Dhaneshwar Deonarine; Abigail Liverpool, Principal Environmental Health Officer/Health Disaster Coordinator, MoPH; and Devaughn Lewis, First Aid Coordinator, Guyana Red Cross Society also formed part of the facilitating and coordinating team which travelled from Georgetown for the exercise.

(MoPH Release)