GUYANA is set to host Caribbean Wellness Week. A number of activities have been planned to observe the week not only in Guyana, but in the Caribbean as a whole. The campaign commenced in 2011 and was inspired by the Caribbean Wellness Day, which is celebrated on the second Saturday in September.

This year’s theme for wellness week is: “Our Neighbourhood, Our Health” and is consistent with the theme of World Health 2022 ,”Our Planet, Our Health,” which focuses attention on the urgent actions needed to keep people and the planet healthy.

The theme was chosen to focus attention on the urgent need to raise awareness on wellness, especially as it relates to health in neighbourhoods, having regard to the current recovery stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also highlights the role that policies from all sectors play in promoting healthy neighbourhoods and communities.

This year’s observances come at a time when the health sector in Guyana is undergoing a process of modernisation. As pointed out by Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Philips, the government has prioritised efficient healthcare as a key component of its social welfare development agenda. The Prime Minister, who is fulfilling the duties of President, made those remarks at the launch of the Caribbean Wellness Week hosted by the Health Ministry.

“As your government, we will continue to create an enabling environment for our people to achieve their health goals. The Government of Guyana continues to support all efforts towards addressing non-communicable diseases and improving the lives of people living with chronic diseases throughout Guyana,” the Prime Minister said.

Guyana has come a long way in terms of health-care delivery, with several new interventions being made to modernise the sector. As noted by the Prime Minister, substantial investments have been made to ensure that the country’s primary health services are equipped with the tools and the resources necessary to ensure greater quality of health services for all.

The theme of this year’s observances are especially relevant in the context of the several initiatives taken to make quality health care accessible to Guyanese all across the country, especially in the rural and hinterland communities. A number of new and modern hospitals are slated for construction in several regions.

According to Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, the China National Pharmaceutical Group Corporation, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, Sinopharm was selected to construct the six new regional hospitals. The design process has already started and the sites are being prepared to allow for the construction phase to commence shortly.

These six new hospitals, at an approximate cost of $28.5 billion, are part of the government’s plan to enhance the quality of health care across the country and will be built at Anna Regina, De Kinderen, Diamond, Enmore, Bath Settlement and Skeldon. The hospitals will be equipped with modern facilities. One benefit of such a development is that it will put less pressure on the main referral hospitals, in particular the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and, at the same time, ease the inconvenience faced by patients in rural communities.

The PPP/C administration is doing a good job in terms of putting the physical and human infrastructure in place to upgrade the quality of health care delivery, but in the final analysis, health and well-being are also individual responsibilities.

As pointed out by the Health Minister, individuals have to be responsible for their own health and take the necessary precautions for their safety. This advice is all the more necessary as the Cricket Carnival approaches and new evidence is emerging of Monkeypox and COVID-19 infections.

The PPP/C administration must be commended for raising the health standards in Guyana, while at the same time taking proactive measures to make access to quality health easier for the Guyanese people.
As pointed out by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, his administration will be launching a four-pronged aggressive health-care plan targeting vulnerable persons and providing specialty care. The government, he said, cannot and must not believe that it could be the solution for every aspect, even as he underscored the importance for the government to ensure that every single citizen has access to good, affordable, first-class primary health care.