Health Posts in Region #7 to be upgraded to health centres
GINA, GUYANA, Wednesday, February 01, 2017
The health posts at Issano, Kurupung and Imbaimadai, in Region Seven, are to be upgraded to health centres, catering for patients on an in-patient basis. This was disclosed by the Director of Regional Health Services (RHS), Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Kay Shako.
In a telephone interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Dr. Shako said that the RHS has recognised the need to build capacity in the regions through infrastructure and human resources. Money for the upgrades has been provided in the Ministry of Public Health’s 2017 budget.
Marilyn Austin Community Health Worker (Left) and Dr. Andries Foo – General Medical Officer, Imbamadai Health Post
Community Health Worker at Imbaimadai, Marilyn Austin, said that for some time, the health post has been treating patients on an in-patient basis. She said the facility is not geared or fully equipped to provide these services.
For a health post to be recognised as a health centre, there needs to be a resident doctor located in the area, equipment and adequate in-patient facilities available. A Doctor was deployed to the area last June to better meet the need of patients at Imbaimaidai.
Based on the five levels of public health care offered in Guyana, a health post usually does not cater for in-patient needs since this first level of health care carries out basic health services. Patients suspected of a serious illness are referred to the nearest health centre or the district hospital for better diagnosis and treatment.
However, these health posts will now become health centres since they are situated in mining areas and would be better positioned to attend to emergencies and other illnesses that may occur.
Dr. Andries Foo is currently completing a one year stint and placement at the Imbaimadai health post as the resident doctor.
He said, “we get to experience and help out the facility and different people here because before there wasn’t any doctor here. So myself and a next doctor (Dr. Trevena Bailey), we came here and we try to improve the health system.”
Equipment and other necessary requirements for the upgrades of these health posts are expected to be put in place during the course of 2017.
By: Delicia Haynes