— volunteers distributing free masks to remote locations

By Telesha Ramnarine

A MEDICAL team comprising eight members operating under four tents screens every individual passing in and out of Port Kaituma (PK) on a daily basis.
While no positive COVID-19 cases have been reported at the Region One (Barima/Waini) location so far, those on the health team are working hard to help residents adhere to social distancing and other safety measures.

Marissa Mendonca works as a rehabilitation assistant at the local health centre, but her duties lately have come to include traveling to the various health tents to do screening. One of the tents has been set up at the toll gate, which sees in the vicinity of 300 persons being screened daily.

Persons who pass through PK daily come from various locations including from Matthews Ridge, Arakaka, Mabaruma, Charity, and the waterfront.
The members on the medical team would each take turns at working at the various tents, the others of which are located at Citrus Grove (close to the airstrip), at the health centre and at the waterfront (stelling/boat landing).

The screening includes checking temperatures and conducting interviews with persons about any possible COVID-19 symptoms.

“Everyone – every single person – is wearing a mask here in PK, even the children,” Mendonca told the Chronicle on Wednesday. According to her, volunteers from various places are sewing masks and sharing them out for free.
Mendonca’s mom, Sheila Thomas, and her team sews about 50 masks whenever they get together in the week and use a canter to go out to the far-flung areas to distribute them.
Mendonca, who works Monday to Wednesday in the field and Thursday and Friday with her patients at the health centre, believes that the team has a strong grip on the COVID-19 situation at PK.

The farthest tent is four miles away, and the team members would each have to travel that distance to and from work when they’re working at that tent.
“We have a really good grip on the situation here and we are working very hard, especially in helping persons with social distancing. While the police is patrolling, persons are generally adhering to the curfew in place,” she related.

The medical team at the health centre includes one doctor, two dental assistants, nurses who work on a shift system, four community health workers, a pharmacist, lab technician, and an environmental health officer.
According to Mendonca, economic activities at PK have been seriously interrupted, especially now that there is only one market day, as opposed to two prior to the outbreak of the disease.

Vendors from Sebai Village would usually go to t PK central for market on Wednesdays. Previously, market was also held on Saturdays; this poses a huge inconvenience to the sellers because they now only have one day to get off their produce.
Meanwhile, the new hospital at PK is expected to soon become a reality. Based on the new facility’s capacity, the new hospital is expected to cater to improved workspace for staff and better healthcare delivery for patients.
In 2014, the previous administration contracted R. Bassoo and Sons, and Kalitech as the supervisory consultancy firm overseeing the project. The initial project was valued at $700M.

Since the coalition administration assumed office in 2015, the Public Health Ministry has reformulated a plan for the new complex which includes provision for all the necessary services some of which were not catered for during the initial stages.