By Michel Outridge

IN the wake of the construction of a new wing for the #10/Strath Campbell Health Centre at Branch Road, Mahaicony, health care workers aim to provide professional services for the residents along that corridor.

Midwife and Regional Coordinator for the Filaria Elimination Campaign, Shonnel Watson,
told the Pepperpot Magazine that the health centre offers a wide range of services, with a complement of six staffers, including a doctor, who is in charge.

According to Watson, they have maternal and child health, family planning and infant clinics where immunisation is done; there are also special clinic days for patients affected by chronic diseases.

“We have different clinic days from 08:00hrs to 16:30hrs daily and we have an in-house doctor, a midwife, a nursing assistant, a health worker, a pharmacy attendant and a clinic attendant; and we try to accommodate everyone that shows up here for medical attention,” she said.

Watson stated that even though the facility is located miles away from the main road, they see a lot of patients, especially elderly folk, chronic disease patients and others with the regular aches, pains and arthritis.

About two months ago the new wing of the #10/Strath Campbell Health Centre was completed, but the old wing still exists.

Watson explained that the new wing has three additional rooms, one for the doctor’s clinic, the vaccination room and the other for the Ante-Natal Clinic.

“We see a lot more patients stricken with chronic diseases and we host the clinic on Tuesday afternoons, just after the Infant Clinic, since the pharmacy assistant visits that day to accommodate dispensing medicines,” she said.

Watson related that she has been at the location for the past six years and described the people as very friendly and accommodating; and if there is anything to do, they are always willing to assist.

The midwife added that their Infant Clinic is usually held every Tuesday morning with 43 registered and the clinic for newborns is held on the third Wednesday of every month for their enrolment and check-ups.

She pointed out that the villages along Branch Road consists of people of Indian and African descent and they live in harmony without any problems.

Watson stated that the youths have plenty to do, with the community being a rice-farming one; they are many young farmers and some are teachers, as well.

Filaria Elimination Campaign

As for the Filaria Elimination Campaign, Watson is the Regional Coordinator for Region Five and collects a daily report from the three field employees.

She reported that in Region Five they have already reached their target and are way ahead in their pills distribution; they have been at the location for the past three years sensitising residents of its use and benefits.

Watson said they also do home visits in the community and in our presence she took her filarial- prevention pills in front of two of her staffers, adding that it is always good to lead by example.

“The most detailed part of this campaign is explaining the triple-drug therapy with the addition of the new drug; some people feel it is so much pills to take at one time,” she said.