By Michel Outridge

AT 19 years old, Amrita Singh is making the best of an opportunity at the Parika Back Health Outpost, where she is the community health worker(CHW), who is in charge of the facility when the visiting doctor isn’t present.

Singh supervises two staff members, the cleaner and the security guard in the somewhat small Health Outpost, in her home village.

Singh told the team that they provide the basic services such as pre-natal, post-natal, vaccination, dressings, treatment of minor injuries and chronic diseases clinic.

She explained that the chronic diseases section has the largest clinic, which is held every third Tuesday of the month and the doctor visits that day as well.

Singh is multi-talented and would do dressings to wounds and handle the triage, plus dispense drugs if the need arises and also make referrals, if the case is serious, to Leonora Hospital or Parika Health Centre, depending on the patient’s condition.

“I have a two-year contract, so when that is finished I would like to pursue tertiary education in the medical field to gain certain qualifications, so I can elevate myself in this field which I am comfortable with,” she said.

The CHW stated that most people would visit the health outpost with cold, flu symptoms, high blood pressure, diabetes and minor injuries as a result of farming.

The Parika Back Health Outpost is opened from 08:00hrs to 16:30hrs from Monday to Friday and welcomes all visitors, even from outside the village.

Singh is hoping they get a new building soon because the old one is falling apart rapidly, which was evident when the team visited.

“Life here is nice, quiet and it is a place where people go about their business of the day and keep busy, because there are mostly farmers and they spend a lot of time in the fields tending to crops,” she said.

The Pepperpot Magazine also spoke to Indroutie Harripersaud, who is the security guard attached to the Parika Back Health Outpost.

She reported that she has been holding the post for one and a half years now, a job she has grown to like.

Harripersaud stated that she returned from Venezuela five years ago, but her two children are still residing over there.

She is a resident of Kent Dam and described life as very peaceful and contented, but for that to happen one must be employed and be able to provide for him/her self.

Harripersaud added that Kent Dam is the home of cash-crop farmers and housewives.

“This job is alright because it provides a salary, making me independent, so I don’t have to depend on anyone,” she said.

She noted that her job is based on a shift system and another guard would take over for the night shift and she handles the day shift.

Harripersaud stated that employment is the best feeling ever and it is always better to have a job, regardless of what is it, since she believes that honest work is better than none.