By Cassandra Khan
THE telemedicine simulation exercise that is ongoing at the Nappi Village health post in Region Nine, appears to be successful thus far, a team of health officials discovered during a visit on Saturday.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Narine Singh, who represented Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony as head of the team, saw first hand the progress that was made.

The telemedicine system allows doctors in the capital city to easily contact community health workers (CHWs) in rural communities, in this case Nappy Village, to offer assistance where necessary.

At part of the exercise, a medical specialist from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is able to assess and diagnose a patient’s condition through a computerised system with a video conference set up, which is operated at the Nappi end by Marisha Singh, who is a community health worker.

Regional Administrator for Region Nine, Brian Allicock, in his remarks said that he is happy that the region is getting the support needed for improvement of the health sector.

“More so, it is the first telemedicine equipment that I’ve observed with the demonstration that the nurse did this afternoon and it was very impressive,” he said.

Allicock related that this initiative would help to cut back on transportation costs for residents.

“The doctors could do the diagnosis from where they are and advise the nurses accordingly how to treat that patient as they look at it from here,” he said.

He added: “I’ll ask the people who are operating the equipment to care it. You know, because if you don’t care it, you lose it.”

Deputy Toshao Sylvester Fredricks thanked the Ministry of Health and the government for using Region Nine for the pilot project.

He and the villagers are overjoyed at the initiative and are very much appreciative.

The CHW who operates the equipment said that the technology is very reliable and she is currently learning a lot.

She noted that villagers would no longer have to travel to Lethem to see a doctor and that it would be easier for them to be diagnosed by a doctor from the GPHC, through telemedicine. She emphasised that that will save time and money.

In April 2022, Minister Anthony, along with other key officials from the Ministry of Health, officially opened the $13.6 million health post in Nappi.

The facility provides medication and other forms of treatment for persons suffering from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and several other health issues.

In his brief remarks at the opening ceremony, Dr Anthony had said that the facility forms part of the PPP/C government’s larger vision of improving the healthcare sector and providing easier access to these services.

“We can use the internet to be able to communicate with a doctor in Georgetown, and that doctor will work with the CHW or the nurse that is stationed here, to be able to make a diagnosis, and then offer treatment,” Dr Anthony said.

Meanwhile, the Maternal and Child Health Department of the Lethem Regional Hospital on Saturday received a new All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) to boost its current expanded immunisation programme.

The $3 million ATV was purchased through an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan.

According to the Director of Family and Primary Health Care Services, Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, the purchase was made possible through the Maternal and Child Health Improvement Project.

“This vehicle will be used to continue to provide services for women of reproductive age, neonates and children”, she explained.