– First-ever Medex of Baramita passionate about his job

IT was with the perfect dose of encouragement, willpower, and self-dedication that Akeem Henry pushed himself to achieve new academic heights.

He is the first-ever Medex to return to his remote village of Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini), to serve the people, who are very proud of his recent achievements in the medical profession. Henry described his journey to success as long and very challenging, but he persevered due to his diligence.

Narrating his academic stance, he told Pepperpot Magazine that he dropped out of high school due to the passing of his mother. He was attending high school at Port Kaituma, in the Northwest District, also in Region One. In 2013, after his mother’s death, he entered the workforce, joining the mining sector.

He got a rude awakening when he had an accident that caused him to seek medical attention. There, the then Medex Barnes (only name given), while treating him, encouraged him to pursue a career in the medical field, to help his people, descendants of the Carib tribe.

As a native of Baramita, Henry’s first language is their dialect, followed by English, so he understands the needs of the people and their disadvantages due to the language barrier. That stirred him to think about it, and his grandmother’s words further supported his thoughts. Growing up as the eldest of six siblings, he felt the need to realise that goal.

Initially, he wanted to become self-employed and start a small business to earn a living, but after his accident, he realised the realities of life and reconsidered his options for a better career.

Henry knew the people needed him, and he set about achieving that goal of becoming a Medex — one that was by no means easy.

He applied to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region One to become a Community Health Worker (CHW), which served as a stepping stone for him.

After completing that six-month course in the city, he returned to Baramita Village to work at the then Health Post for about five years in that capacity.

While working as a CHW, he recognised the need to upgrade his academic skills because he recognised the need for an in-house Medex — one who knows their language to break the barrier and be able to diagnose and treat them more effectively.

Henry told Pepperpot Magazine that he relocated to Mabaruma to study for about two years to sit the CXC exams, as he needed to pass at least five subjects to enter the Medex programme.

He stayed at the Government Hostel in Mabaruma and worked full-time while studying via textbooks and with the help of teachers he knew.

Henry explained that he had to work to pay for his living expenses and classes, which he did privately. It was challenging, but a few teachers assisted him along the way.

He added that he was finally able to sit the exam, and when the results came out, he learnt that he had passed five subjects at CXC. He was happy with that outcome.

Henry then applied to the Ministry of Health (MOH) via the Health Sciences Education programme in Kingston, Georgetown, to become a Medex. He was accepted and underwent four years of training in the city.

He related that he stayed at the Tertiary Hinterland Dormitory in Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, and had to commute daily via public transportation, while also catering to his own meals, among other things.

Henry said the journey of becoming a Medex was by no means easy, and he endured a lot to reach that level. He will not disappoint himself or the people who depend on him to provide a good service.

He was set to return to Baramita Village on August 20, 2025, where he would begin working under a doctor and the current Medex for six weeks, after which a report would be submitted to the MOH.

Following this review, he will work independently, serving as the Medex in charge of the upgraded Baramita Cottage Hospital with the support of his staff.

“As a native of Baramita, it is a dream realised for me, something I achieved through sacrifice, challenges and hardships. It is a true representation of what I am capable of, and this happened because I had people talk to me, the ones who believed in me and gave me that encouragement I desperately needed at that time,” he said.

Henry pointed out that there are things he would like to do, such as promoting education and health awareness in the community, taking it step by step until he can do more within his capacity.

He believes that the moral support he received was what kept him going, and he is very thankful to the people who helped him along his journey to becoming the first-ever Medex of Baramita.

Henry added that Leslyn Holder is one of his motivators, as she assisted him, and he is very grateful for it.

“If you believe in yourself, like I did, you can do it. It will be challenging, but it happened for me and the same can happen for you if you apply yourself and set standards,” he said.