NUMBER 47 Health Centre, at Corentyne, Berbice, hosted an ‘Open Day’ recently to show off its services and forged an improved relationship with residents within its 18 miles coverage.

Midwife Brenda Lewis reported that, over a one year period ending July 31, 1,254 children and adults were given Diptheria Pertusses Tetanus (DPT), Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR), Inactive Polio (IPV), Hepatitis B and Bacille Calmete Guerin (BCG) vaccines.

Delivering a report, she said the centre is privileged to have a visiting staff of eight heath workers, among them Dr. M. Persaud, the District Medical Officer, who has seen at least 700 high risk mothers and medex P. Mathoor, who examined 1,782 patients.

In addition, 50 patients were seen by dentex Henry.

The facility also offers Prevention from Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) against HIV/AIDS, at the ante-natal and post-natal clinics; has an infant and pre-school clinic; a basic nutritional programme which benefits children under 24 months old and does tracking of defaulters who have not been immunised..

Lewis who, together with community health workers, makes home visits to ‘shut ins’, told those in attendance, including Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Berbice Regional Health Authority, Dr V. Sahadeo, that, despite some achievements, among them the installation of a new counselling room,  there are still leaks which cause disruptions to the work of the medex on the upper flat of the two-storey building.

Lewis, the nurse-in-charge, noted, too, the need for an incinerator to dispose of medical waste in garbage, retiling of the nurses and waiting rooms and to electrical rewiring of the entire place.

Mahadeo told the staff he envisages a family oriented unit in which social, mental and health issues can be discussed.

He acknowledged the necessity for training to upgrade staffers for the better execution of their various roles and said persons need  to be sensitised to high blood pressure and diabetes which are major health problems.

Mahadeo announced that, in an effort to improve services, cervical cancer screening, which commenced at Skeldon Hospital last April, will be made available at Number 47 every Friday, for women who are 18 years of age and older.

Ramsammy reminded the health workers to be understandable when dealing with vulnerable persons but he criticised the media for highlighting mistakes while failing to note achievements.

“For every bad thing, there are hundreds of good things. There is not a day that I do not recognise the work of the health worker who is not the best paid…” he remarked.

On diabetes, he said, from the beginning of September, every night at 20:00 h, a pre-recorded message will be aired on radio and television, alerting listeners/viewers to check their feet in order to detect early traits of diabetes.

Ramsammy also promised eight motorbikes for distribution to various centres where they will be used by medexes and other heath personnel.