“UNIVERSAL health: everyone, everywhere” is the theme chosen for the celebration of World Health Day, observed on March 07, 2018.

This has been the tireless goal of the World Health Organisation (WHO) since its founding in 1948. Despite its many challenges, primarily with a budget which continues to be inadequate for its many planned international activities due to growing demands by the poorer regions of the world for assistance in combatting epidemics and other related issues — a great debt is owed to this organisation, for its continuous service to humanity, now in its 70th year.

Its contributions to member countries, towards establishing programmes and mechanisms regarding health issues, cannot be easily measured, for the improvements that have accrued to the well-being of their respective populations.

Just yesterday, the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) local office in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health hosted a grand health fair and exhibition at the D’urban Park in observance of World Heath Day with the aim of fostering a better awareness of personal health issues and the need to ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access quality health services without facing financial hardship, as set out in the Sustainable Development Goals all countries agreed in 2015.

The message of Universal Health Care (UHC) must be a priority for developing countries, since it is indispensable as an investment in their human capital for economic productivity. In fact, it is not only about countries ensuring the aspect of physical health of their populations, but also that good mental, emotional and spiritual health is attainable.
These are key determinants for progress for not only health-related goals, but also socio-economic goals. It is about countries being able to harness a total competent human capacity, to drive economic progress.

In Guyana, much has been done, continuing towards the goal of a healthy population for better living and productive lives. This is being supported by an annual budget that has an allocation of $ $33.3B for 2018. This represents a seven per cent increase over the 2017 sum of $31.2B; 12.5 per cent of budget 2018, and is 4.2 per cent of GDP.

This is a national estimate that is geared towards, among other things, transforming the health sector. The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Dialysis Centre continues to provide life-saving procedures free of cost. One of the important programmes promoted by WHO that has gained significant attention and support internationally, is the blood transfusion safety programme. The GPHC’S National Blood Transfusion Service acquisition of a Trima Accel-Automated Blood Collection System, known as the Apheresis Machine to boost its blood transfusion programme . This programme is particularly designed for countries to establish and maintain self-sustaining national blood systems to ensure timely access to safe and sufficient supplies of blood and blood products, as well as to develop good transfusion practices to meet the needs of patients.

The launch of the Integrated Health Service Delivery Network (IHSDN), which encompasses the idea of patients, health official and health organisations all coming together for a better healthcare service delivery ; Zika screening, and other specialised tests, a new HIV testing viral load machine; a national health care plan, with facilities in every region geared towards care of the elderly; acquisition of a mammography machine to screen for early detection and treatment for breast cancer and the training of 500 health professionals to detect and treat mental illness at the community level.

All of these, especially the last two initiatives are, central to any nation’s well-being, given the fact of aging populations in most countries, Guyana inclusive; and a suicide problem that is a fact among the many national social challenges.
We emphasise, that for all of the reported billions invested in this country’s health system over the 23 years of the past People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, it is mind-boggling that at least the last two stated initiatives were not introduced, despite the state of the nation’s aged, and the recurrent cases of suicide.

The last two years, more than at any other time, have evidenced national health awareness programmes, in the form of television shows with public participation; health outreaches in every region and its communities; health check desks at some of the city’s busy corners utilising public branding – products and other promotional material – as a way of increasing awareness of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These strategies have indeed been timely, given the growing number of diagnosed cases of NCDs. Labelled as lifestyle diseases, the number of such cases, based on stats when last reported, are said to be in excess of 60,000, with diabetes, hypertension, and strokes, being among the known prevalent of these cases. It is instructive to note that renal failure has become a common fact, being the end stage of especially persons who become chronic diabetics.
As a nation, especially one poised on a new horizon as Guyana, it is important that we understand what those figure do reveal about how citizens have been treating their health.
Those NCD problems centre on the factors of poor eating; risky patterns of behaviour that include tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, and lack of physical exercise. More important is the realisation, too late for many that have become stricken, that regular health visits are an absolute, and not the well-known traditional way of only seeking medical attention when ill. The latter tardiness has caused the unnecessary deaths of so many of our family and friends.

We must all be reminded that good health ensures full use of life; a happier life with our families; saving finances for other productive purposes, other than medical bills; not becoming a burden to others because of illness; a meaningful production to national development and, of course, longevity.