H.E.R.O team urged to promote renewed primary healthcare

DPI, GUYANA, Monday, August 7, 2017

Health and Education Relief Organization (H.E.R.O) medical team on Sunday were urged by Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Karen Cummings to promote renewed primary healthcare in Guyana during their one-week medical outreach.

In brief remarks, at Project Dawn, Lillendall, East Coast, Demerara Minister Cummings expressed gratitude to the team for their support especially since the government would like to reintroduce primary healthcare.

“We are very happy for your coming and we hope that you continue to lend your expertise and help us identify our gaps, as we brainstorm on how we could find solutions to these problems, but our mantra remains the same of having healthy people and healthy communities and of course when it is all said and done, we really want to renew our primary healthcare because we want to strive for the preventative aspect instead of the curative aspect,” the minister explained.

Minister Cummings noted that the recommendations that will be provided by the team will also help to improve the country’s healthcare services. “The people of Guyana be it from Corentyne to Georgetown to West Demerara will benefit from your services and they will say indeed we are very privileged to have H.E.R.O team with us,” the minister said.

It was also highlighted that the team will be categorised into five groups which will focus on various areas during their stay which includes the Linden team, who will be tasked to handle basic medical outreaches.

A team will be sent to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and is expected to complete 44 surgeries for

patients with “club foot” and other lower extremity problems. The remaining teams will focus on children from Mocha Primary School between ages five (5) to twelve (12) for the literacy programme in addition to assisting the children living at Joshua House Children Centre.

Ieshia King-O’loughlin, board member of HERO who is also in charge of the literacy programme, thanked the minister for her support and words of wisdom. She noted that though the programme she has undertaken is not her profession, it has proven to be beneficial to the children.

King said that the initiative focuses on supporting children performing below grade level in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.

HERO is a non-profit organization, which is registered in the United States of America (USA) and has been providing health care and other services to Guyana and other developing countries since 2000. This is the eleventh time HERO has visited Guyana to assist in the delivery of healthcare services and educational programmes.

 

By: Neola Damon