‘Continuous training in allied health services important’ – Min. Anthony
– First Allied Health Professionals Seminar hosted
Guyana’s healthcare landscape is rapidly transforming and with development, there is a need for allied health professionals to receive continuous education in the various disciplines, to deliver quality care to patients.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony expressed this sentiment at Saturday’s opening of the first-ever seminar for Allied Health Professionals at Duke Lodge, Georgetown, while encouraging the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) to promote continuous education.
The seminar organised by the (AHPC) in commemoration of World Allied Health Professionals Day themed ‘Stronger Together’, seeks to reflect success in service delivery. It also seeks to identify and remedy gaps to improve the delivery of healthcare.
“For the various disciplines that fall under the council, we want each of those disciplines for you to organise continuing education talks and different things so that people can upgrade themselves.
“You can’t be a professional if you’re not reading and keeping up to date with what is happening in your field. And we got to encourage this, this is how we will get that quality, this is how we’ll improve systems,” Dr. Anthony stated.
The government, he added, is keen on supporting amendments to the Allied Health Professions Act to include the different types of professionals including psychologists and personnel attached to the Emergency Medical Services.
“We are in a dilemma because we have these persons working in the health sector but we have nobody formally regulating them [and] that is something we have to correct because we can’t continue in this situation,” the health minister expressed firmly.
Chair of the AHPC, Dr. Pheona Mohamed Rambaran spoke about some of the plans in store for 2024 as well as the successes over the years. While expounding on the importance of the seminar, Dr Rambaran explained that it will examine gaps and weaknesses to improve the service being offered.
Over 700 allied health professionals, she said, have registered to date with the council.
Advisor of Health Surveillance, Disease, Prevention and Control at PAHO/WHO, Dr. Rainier Escalada noted that Guyana is leading the Caribbean region in modernising its legislative framework for the health sector.