–says Director of Primary Healthcare Services

THOUGH some of Guyana’s regions present unique accessibility challenges due to their geography and size, Director of Primary Healthcare Services, Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, underscored that there have been efforts to ensure that there is equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across Guyana.
Speaking at a recent World Press Freedom Day forum organised by the United States (U.S.) Embassy in Georgetown, Dr. Hamilton highlighted that the local health ministry uses the principle of “universal health” as the basis for how healthcare is delivered across the country.
To this end, she explained that there are efforts to ensure that all health services can be accessed by people across the country.
Speaking about those efforts, Dr. Hamilton said that in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) has recorded the second highest vaccination coverage.

This region is the southernmost region of Guyana, and according to Dr. Hamilton, it is the largest region with a scattered population.
“When you think about the fact that Region Nine is second in the country for vaccination coverage of COVID-19, that in itself should tell you that the efforts across the country are basically the same,” she said, positing: “There is no region that has benefitted than the other regions. It’s the same.”
In March, during the initial phases of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the Guyana Chronicle reported that the geography of Region Nine and the far-flung locations of many of its indigenous communities, contributed to logistical challenges for the vaccination rollout.
Then, only healthcare workers were being vaccinated since they were a priority group, working on the frontlines. And, this newspaper reported that the few healthcare workers in the far-flung communities, such as Aishalton, were asked to travel to Lethem (the capital town in Region Nine and main commercial hub) to get vaccinated.
Travel from Aishalton in the ‘Deep South’ Rupununi to Lethem takes about three hours on a motorbike.

In March, Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, explained that since the country only had a small quantity of vaccines at the time, it was more feasible to ask the healthcare workers to travel to the central distribution point (Lethem) instead of taking just four vaccines to Aishalton. He, however, assured the nation that once Guyana secured more vaccines, there would be a broader distribution system.
Over the past few weeks, with the procurement of additional vaccines, the local health authorities have been able to expand the distribution. In far-flung communities like Aishalton, or other communities in other hinterland regions, there have been vaccination outreach activities.
During one of his daily COVID-19 updates in April, the Health Minister highlighted that in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, there are special programmes where health teams have been going to every village and those persons who want to get vaccinated, are able to access the service.

He, however, acknowledged that there have been “peculiar challenges” in Region Eight, due to the region’s mountainous geography. Nevertheless, several vaccination outreach activities were held in this region at the end of April. In spite of these inherent challenges that exist, Dr. Hamilton underscored: “We cannot serve our country if we serve it in a manner in which those who are easily accessible receive more services than those who are not easily accessible.”
She affirmed that the health ministry is committed to ensuring that each Guyanese can receive “equitable, accessible and acceptable service” in all COVID-19 services and also in the general provision of healthcare. Similar outreach activities were carried out in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). Though not confronted by the geographical challenges of the hinterland regions, this region has been lagging behind all other regions in the vaccination uptake due to some degree of vaccine hesitancy. On Sunday last, a ministerial team, including the Health Minister, visited the region, seeking to encourage people to get vaccinated. These efforts are ongoing.