-Fort Island Nurse ensures all villagers in need get medical attention
By Michel Outridge

MAYBE it’s her endearing demeanour or her effervescent personality that makes her stand out, but whatever it is, she is certainly fulfilling her role as the nurse serving her community and its environs.

Pretty Debideen is the community health worker attached to the Ministry of Health and the resident nurse of the Fort Island Health Centre, Essequibo River.

Her role is to provide health care in the community and catchment area of this riverine village.

She serves six islands, which are Beezie, Dookalbo (big and small, Quarter Benabo, Walaputash and English Island.

She goes beyond the call of duty almost all the time and would even venture out of her catchment area to assist people, who are in desperate need of medical attention and cannot reach a hospital in time.

Nurse Debideen has delivered many babies, some born at homes in the many riverine villages along the Essequibo River as far as Bethany, Karia Karia and Lower and Upper Bonasika, among other areas.

People from near and far would make the journey to the Fort Island Health Centre to seek medical attention and they would be attended to immediately.

Apart from being at the health outpost from Monday to Friday from 08:00hrs to 14:30hrs, she is reachable at her home at any time.

The nurse would also make home visits to shut-ins and the bedridden and use her own boat and engine to get to pregnant women who are in labour, to deliver their babies.

“I would assist women who cannot make it in time to the nearest hospital to deliver the baby, but is always advisable to get to a hospital for those who have complications,” she said.

Debideen, a native of Region One (Barima-Waini), followed in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a nurse.

Her mother, who is now deceased, was the resident nurse for Fort Island and as a young girl she admired her work and her selfless service to the community.

She has been in the nursing profession for more than 10 years and is a qualified nurse.

“Growing up, I used to watch my mother tend to sick people and I admired her and told myself I want to be like her and my dream was realised when I joined the profession in 2008,” she said.

In cases of emergency, she would accompany the patient to the nearest hospital, that is, the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

She has been a resident of Fort Island for the past 18 years and left her home village of Mabaruma when she was 15 years old.

The mother of six reported that since the pandemic, she is a frontline worker whose work doesn’t have any boundaries or she would often go the extra mile to ensure people receive free medical attention.

“My door is always opened to anyone who needs medical help and I feel good serving my community; and it is even better when the people I tend to get better,” she said.

The real joy comes from serving and it is one of the greatest feelings in the work is to be a healthcare worker.

Debideen explained that she was drawn to the profession too because she cannot stand to see people suffer and her work doesn’t have any limit.

A volunteer for the people

Debideen is also a volunteer with the Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) and would assist to promote the culture of the people as well, as embrace it in many events.

TAAMOG is geared towards the protection of Amerindian rights and to also preserve their cultures and dialects.

Annually, she would organise Amerindian heritage events in her village and other riverine communities and participate in the cultural programme.

She does a lot of work behind the scenes and doesn’t mind at all; she is also a very talented singer and versed in making most Amerindian cuisine.

Debideen also makes from scratch the heritage beverages such as, rice and cherry wine, piwarie and fly among others, from the fruits in her backyard

The nurse can also make craft and has an artistic flair for fashion and designing.

She is a household name and her work is widely recognised, yet, she is humble and very giving.