THE National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) on Saturday, April 27, 2019, hosted its first-ever health fair at the Demerara Harbour Bridge tarmac on the company’s 50th anniversary under the theme, ‘A safe and healthy future of work.’

Since 1969, NAMILCO became the first company in Guyana to package rice and sugar. The following years saw the introduction of flour and other convenience products to meet the needs of consumers. Among the partners joining the company’s initiative were the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, Massy Gas Products and Noble House Seafoods.

Over 200 persons, mainly from Region Three, took advantage of services such as blood sugar and blood pressure testing, physiotherapy, yellow fever vaccination, blood donation, eye care and testing for Hepatitis B. In addition to these services, there were also sensitisation progammes on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

Parvesh Bhola, a company representative, told the Guyana Chronicle that the company is very pleased to give back to communities, as its mission is to ensure that everyone has access to comprehensive, safe and efficient health care. According to Bhola, the initiative was pioneered by a collaborative effort between the Guyana Business Coalition of health awareness, a non-governmental organisation made up of local private health centres and the Ministry of Public Health.

He also noted that the mission of the outreach is to ensure that people across Guyana readily have access to health care without a biased approach from providers. This day sets aside time for residents, commuters and other nationals to benefit from having to join long queues for health care.

Exhibits were seen from different sections within the Ministry of Public Health, such as the blood bank, the public pharmacy and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat. There were various models that depicted the foods which comprise a healthy and balanced diet and talks on sexual and reproductive health representatives of the health ministry.

The fair was one of the activities held by NAMILCO for its 2019 road to success and celebration. It attracted many Guyanese who showed great interest in what the companies had to offer and were very thankful for the opportunity to receive health care in convenience.