Baracara to be upgraded to polyclinic

─ residents urged to envision self-sufficiency as project unravels

─ Baracara’s village economy can be improved with this new development

 DPI, Guyana, Friday, August 23, 2019

The Ministry of Public Health will upgrade the Baracara Health Centre to a polyclinic allowing for more health services to be provided to the residents. With this development, there will be several services available which the community can tap into.

The upgrade is expected to commence this year and conclude in 2020. A polyclinic provides both general and specialised outpatient health services including consultations, examinations and treatment for a variety of diseases and injuries.

With this upgrade, only emergencies will be sent to the New Amsterdam Hospital which is 45 minutes away and only accessible by the river. This upgrade will also see Maternal and Child Health Services expanded with deliveries being done, laboratory tests, dental examinations, Ear Nose and Throat services among many others.

Addressing the Baracara residents at an engagement, Minister of Public Health, Hon. Volda Lawrence said initially doctors, medex and other health staff will be sent to man the polyclinic. This, she noted, is an opportunity for villagers to earn income by providing accommodation for the medical staff. She added that Guyanese must be proactive and seek out and create opportunities for themselves.

She also urged the youth in the community to take advantage of the training opportunities that are being made available by the Ministry of Public Health. At the moment, the ministry offers training in various areas ranging from Laboratory Technicians to Patient Care Assistants, Community Health Workers, among other primary healthcare professions.

“Let us not have to keep dispatching medical personnel here; the employment must come from this community. Persons will have to leave to undergo training, but they will return to serve… Once we have those people trained, the services this village needs will come… we are not going to bring the services to the community with qualified staff to carry them out.”

Community Health Worker, Kevon Joseph [extreme left], gives Ministry of Public Health team a tour of the health centre which is to be upgraded to a polyclinic.

After these persons have been trained, specialist will continue to be deployed to the village, adding to economic activity while ensuring equal access to specialised health services on the coast.