THE issue of health is, of course, a major concern to all Guyanese, but more importantly, its accessibility is of prime importance.
In May this year, a group of medical practitioners led by Dr Kofi Dalrymple, a Guyana-born physician, launched the Telehealth Organisation App-the first of its kind- which is aimed at ensuring easy accessibility to health providers countrywide.

The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with Dr Dalrymple as he shared his perspective and impression of the venture.
“Our company is focused on increasing access to care. We want people to be able to access health care, regardless of where they are…In this country, access to care can be a challenge. If you live in certain areas, access to get to a doctor can also be very challenging if you don’t feel like you want to leave your home and go to an emergency room of a hospital, particularly during COVID. A lot of people prefer to stay home,”Dalrymple told the Pepperpot Magazine.

He stressed that his company plays a vital part in establishing that connection with people to healthcare providers from any mobile device or computer connected to the internet.
He explained that momentum is now picking up since the app was recently launched.

“We have seen a number of patients lined up and we have seen a number of doctors signed up as well on the app already. It therefore means that if they get sick and they need the services, they are ready to jump on the app and use the services,” Dr Dalrymple added during his interview.

The Guyanese physician made the point that almost everyone uses social media platforms to shop and do business.Therefore, something as vital as healthcare should also be accessible via your phone.
He also noted that the application covers various health services; physiotherapy, psychological health services and a whole lot more.

In acknowledging the Government of Guyana’s commitment to such services being offered in Guyana, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony lauded the initiative.
“On behalf of His Excellency and the Government of Guyana, I would like to extend congratulations to the team at On Call on the launching of their Telehealth Application. We look forward to working with you as we improve health care delivery in Guyana,” Minister Anthony told the gathering at the App’s official launch on May 29.

Dr Dalrymple could not help but stress the importance and the focal point of the health application, noting that his company is in the planning stage and is focusing primarily on making a wide range of services available to the Guyanese community.

“The other major aspect of this is to [ensure] that people can get an electronic prescription. A doctor can write a prescription online, submit to the application and it goes directly to a pharmacy, and the patient can go and get what they need for their illness,” Dr Dalrymple noted during his interview.

Those who do not have access to a mobile device can potentially still access the services, he added.
“We are working with the Guyana Telephone Telegraph Company (GTT) to establish a zero-rated service. That simply means that if you do not have access to a data service or Wi-Fi connection, you can still access the application by simply just going directly to the application. This is similar to if one does not have credit in his phone, but can still access emergency services such as 911 or 912 or GTT customer services,” the Guyanese physician added during his interview.

Dr Dalrymple expressed his gratitude to President Irfaan Ali and the Honourable Dr Frank Anthony for their support in making the initiative possible. He explained that his company is increasing access to care in Guyana and urged Guyanese to join their mission and use the Health First App: app.haealthfirst.gy.