36 to be trained as medical extension officers
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DPI, Guyana, Monday, September 3, 2018
Thirty-six young men and women are now on their way to achieving an Associates of Sciences Degree, dubbed Medex in 2022.
For the next four years, the trainees, many of whom are from hinterland communities, will be equipped to provide mid-level health care.
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence told the trainees that she is optimistic of the impact the batch will have on the health care system. She noted that this aspect of training for young men and women from various communities will do justice to the vision of achieving equitable healthcare through Guyana.
“Why am I so optimistic in spite of the myriad of challenges that beset the health care system in our country? Trainees, my optimism is built in you, each and every one of you from your willingness to participate in this training programme. You have not been daunted by the unknown challenges of the next four years. If you were you would not have been here this morning.”
She added that this shows youths are eager to get involved in ways which would push Guyana towards becoming the healthiest nation in the Caribbean. The sustenance of this programme is through a collaboration between the University of Guyana’s Health Sciences Faculty, Regional Health Services and the Ministry of Public Health’s Health Science and Education division.
A Medex is a Medical Extension Officer trained to perform tasks related to level two health care delivery systems with particular reference to community and preventative services including health promotion, prevention of illnesses, treatment of simple illnesses based on established protocols.
Those eligible for the programme were interviewed and shortlisted after which officials from the University of Guyana’s Health Sciences Faculty, Regional Health Services and Personnel departments of the MoPH arrived at a batch of 36 trainees from all regions of Guyana. However, priority was given to those from Regions One, Seven Eight and Nine.
Over the years, more than 300 persons in this field have been trained locally. While some of them have upgraded their careers to become doctors and other senior health professionals there are currently 86 licensed and practising Medical Extension Officers in the country.
This form of training programme prepares health care professionals for community service. It is government funded and grounded in law through the Medex Act of 1978. After the period of training, these Medical Extension Officers are then licensed to work within the Ministry of Public Health.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shamdeo Persaud detailed that, “Medexes are licensed to work with the MoPH under the Medex Act so even though from time to time there are requests for them to work with various agencies, there must be a collaborative effort and through my office, we would develop a programme with for example a mining company or another agency like GuySusCo who allow Medexes to operate but legally.
Programme Coordinator, Medex Sarah Daniels outlined the trainees’ expectations throughout the four-year period and she left with them simple words of encouragement: “Remember, you all are here to achieve one goal despite wherever you came from. It is known that all of you represent the different cultures and diversities of our great country so it is expected that you all should have great respect for each other.”
Delicia Haynes