– laboratory, x-ray and other vital services restored in Region Six

By Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur
THE effective and efficient delivery of healthcare to residents of Region Six, East Berbice Corentyne, has been boosted with the restart of laboratory, x-ray and other vital services at hospitals in the region after years of neglect under the former government.
Regional Chairman, David Armogan, related that many of the services that stopped have been restored at health institutions in the region and at the Skeldon and Port Mourant hospitals, diagnostic services have improved.

X-ray services at the Skeldon Hospital have commenced after it was down for the past nine months. Over at the Port Mourant Hospital, emergency and scheduled x-rays have re-started.
The laboratory services at both hospitals have also been restored. Additionally, a specialist clinic will begin for residents of Skeldon, Port Mourant and neighbouring communities. They will no longer have to travel to the New Amsterdam Hospital to see a specialist.

“They were very serious issues in the healthcare system when we came into government. We are working assiduously, tirelessly to address issues that are affecting the health of the people of the region. We are beginning to ease some of these problems and maybe not in the too distant future, all the services that we are supposed to give the people within the region; those services will be restored,” Armogan said.

Meanwhile, the computed tomography (CT) scanner at the New Amsterdam Hospital is expected to be in operation shorty. Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, said the first calibration of the unit was done on Monday and services will begin this week or early next week.
The regional chairman also announced the resumption of post mortem service in Region Six. He noted that Dr. Vivekanand Bridgemohan has been re-employed on contract to work with the region. For quite sometime, relatives of persons who passed away under suspicious circumstances or had a police-related issue, had to travel to Georgetown or Region Five to witness the autopsy.

Screening for diabetic retinopathy will also be offered which will bring great relief to diabetic patients who have issues with their eyes. The chairman also announced that the region is working to improve capacity at the National Ophthalmology Centre at Port Mourant.

“It has been operating at a low capacity, maybe 10-15 per cent. We are looking at bringing back the Ophthalmology Centre to what it was before. We are working on a way to ensure we bring all the equipment and all the sutures and kits to at least do cataract for the time being and other more serious operations,” the regional chairman said.
To better improve the delivery of healthcare to the elderly, the region will begin to make a register of all persons who are bed-ridden and need medical attention. Following that, a medical doctor will be visiting the shut-in patients once a month.

The chairman highlighted that the issue of drug shortage is still present; however, the government has ordered $3.2B in drugs and medical equipment and these are expected to arrive soon.

“We can have a reasonable supply of drugs so that we can meet the needs of the people of this region, especially the chronic disease medication like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems,” he said.