Integrated Health Services Delivery Network received buy-in from stakeholders-Director of Regional Health Services   

DPI, GUYANA, Saturday, July 5, 2017

Director of Regional Health Services Dr. Kay Shako said that the Integrated Health Services Delivery Network (IHSDN) received the “buy-in” from all stakeholders on conclusion of the two-day workshop.

According to Dr. Shako the support was received from the Regional Democratic Council and the Mayor’s Office and the participants of the workshop.

“Over the two day period with the concept that we have presented and all stakeholders from the community coming on board, we would have achieved our objectives. We had buy-in from all persons that were on board and I must say that this is a very good example of system thinking” Dr. Shako explained.

From left to right, sitting) – Regional Engineer Rawle Boyer, Deputy Regional Executive Officer Tikitam Bissessar, Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley, Director of Regional Health Services Dr. Kay Shako, Deputy Mayor of Mabaruma Astrille Gamell, Regional Executive Officer Leslie Wilburg and Regional Health Officer Dr. Cerdel McWatt flocked by representatives of PAHO/WHO, other government officials and participants of the IHSDN workshop

This comes at the conclusion of the Ministry of Public Health’s collaboration with Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization launch of the IHSDN in Region One Mabaruma last Thursday.

The buy-in she noted allowed for effective brainstorming and examination of the current situation in the region and on the way forward.  Further adding that the IHSDN will soon be rolled out in the Region

“We would have already developed the tool, we already had some degree of mapping and persons from region one can look forward to better health care” Dr. Shako stated.

Regional Health Officer (RHO), Region One, Dr. Cerdel McWatt remarked that the workshop was one with a difference adding that having integrated health services is something the Public Ministry has been working towards.

“The way forward is to document the key priorities and then we would be able to reinforce them based on the timeline which was set out already and we hope to achieve that within the given time,” Dr. McWatt said.

For Port Kaituma Community Health Worker, Tiffany Clement the workshop was a wonderful experience which enlightened her to the fact that integration is what the region needs if it is to have better healthcare services delivery.

Clement said that “mostly you find that we do not have any cooperation from the community or the Toshaos in the area but what this meeting brings out is that we need to integrate and have a closer relationship… even with the private (hospitals) bring them on board so that we can move forward to a better healthcare service”.

Community Development Councillor, Chairman of Matthew’s Ridge Terrence Ash commended the efforts made by the Ministry of Public Health and other stakeholders to better the healthcare services in the region

He explained that “it was a learning experience for me and I must applaud the RHO, the Regional Democratic Council, the members of the PAHO organization for taking the first step to bring this initiative to Region One and once we have integration we will have a better healthcare system”.

Nurse Elaine LaRose of Moruca noted that the workshop was a very informative one. During the two-day workshop, she was able to recognize the importance of having integrated healthcare services.

“…Without community participation, we cannot achieve or deliver comprehensive healthcare to the population” LaRose explained.

The aim of the Integrated Health Services Delivery Network is to mend fragmentation in Guyana’s health care system. Similar activities will be conducted countrywide.

By: Isaiah Braithwaite

CATEGORIES