By Michel Outridge
Saif Ally found his calling when he became a trained Community Health Worker attached to the Crabwood Creek Health Centre in 2013 and has grown to enjoy the job as a frontline worker even amid the pandemic.
The best part of the job is getting to residents who live and farm deep in the backlands which is 10 to 15 miles from the village.
“It is very challenging getting there at times. When it rains heavily the place is muddy and the motorcycle gets punctuated and I am stuck for hours before I get help but I know the people residing depend on me to get to them to provide vaccines,” he said.
Ally revealed that if they get an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) it would be easier to get to the location without mishaps and he would be able to serve the people better.
He also reported that they do not dispense medicines there only vaccines are administered because they do not have an in-house doctor.
Ally added that they have a visiting Medex every Wednesday for the pregnant mothers’ clinic only.
“Without a doctor here we had to abandon the chronic diseases clinic which was the largest clinic so they provide just the basic health care services there,” he said.
Even with these shortcomings, the Crabwood Creek Health Centre is touted as one of the best simply because the staff are always cooperative and display a professional attitude and the environment is very clean and they are a ‘child-friendly’ facility.
He stated that they have a ‘child corner’ equipped with toys, books, a table and some chairs where the children when visiting with their parents can play and occupy their time.
Ally reported that they serve residents of Moleson Creek to Crabwood Creek and even neighbouring villages.
The Crabwood Creek Health Centre has three Community Health Workers, two of whom are in training, one midwife and a clinic attendant and they oversee the daily operations of the facility.
They provide antenatal, prenatal clinics, family planning services and other basic health services.
Ally stated that they do home visits with shut-ins and bedridden residents and he would go to persons in need of vaccines even on weekends to ensure people get the medical relief they need.
“I like serving people and more so sick people who need to get treatment to get better and I would work on weekends when I am supposed to be off duty because this is what I like doing,” he said.
The Community Health Worker told the Pepperpot Magazine that he started working at the health centre in 2013 after he was had completed training at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and he is from Line Path, Skeldon.
Ally added that he always wanted to become a health care professional and is doing what he loves best and he feels he is serving his purpose of assisting people who need it.
He pointed out that the antenatal clinic is held in the upper flat of the health centre and they try to minimise the waiting time for patients and treat everybody as a priority.
“If I am at home and I get call out to go and tend to a sick person, without question I would go no matter how far I have to and ensure that person is treated and I see it as a blessing to my life,” he said.
Ally reported that the health centre staff function as a team of professionals and they can carry out their mandate as a group because they cooperate to provide reliable patient care.
However, there is also a need for a pharmacy with an in-house pharmacist since all patients have to visit Skeldon Hospital to get their medicines.
“We are working with what we have and we do our jobs professionally and we are always pleased to serve the people,” he said.
