Management committee in place at Linden and sub-regional hospitals
─ will ensure efficiency in health services
─ constituted by public health minister
─ committee to serve as regional representative of Public Health Ministry on Region Ten health issues
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, September 6, 2018
The reconstituted Linden Hospital Complex’s Health Management Committee has been determined to be the ‘better representation of health’ for the region. The committee will serve the Linden Hospital Complex and surrounding health facilities in the area.
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, on Wednesday, September 5, 2018, visited the Linden Hospital Complex in Region Ten where she was introduced to staff who have been identified to serve on the hospital’s health management committee.
“I went to Cabinet and I asked to have a committee put in place to ensure that they can overlook the management and what is happening at the LHC… that was granted to me,” Minister Lawrence told the staff.
The designated chairperson identified by the minister to head this committee is Mortimer Mingo (also the chairperson of the Local Government Commission) while Regional Councillor, Denise Belgrave has been identified as Co-Chair.
The Health Minister and Mingo both stressed that the newly reconstituted committee is constituency-based and comprises 15 members, inclusive of but not limited to persons within the medical fraternity.
Minister Lawrence also took the opportunity to share her expectations with some of the identified committee members.
“There have been issues not only at this end but also from the ministry’s end. It requires more than one person in the boat or one group in the boat. I expect that you would reach outside of the government to try to alleviate some of the issues which confront the health sector… because of a few things: one, you don’t have the physical space and two, we can’t do it alone.” Minister Lawrence explained.
The committee members also accompanied the minister as she visited other health facilities in order to familiarise themselves with their responsibilities and to have a clear overview of what is expected of them.
According to Minister Lawrence, the Ministry of Public Health has been attempting to address several health-related issues especially those coming from Region Ten. As such, she appealed to the committee members to pay special attention to providing adequate, timely and efficient reporting, since this will be key towards fostering effective changes in the health sector.
Mingo assured that the committee will assist in a robust delivery of health care to the residents of Linden. He also highlighted that under his chairmanship, the committee will seek to collaborate with the regional administration and consult with stakeholders in order to make the decision-making process easier.
All the members of the committee have not yet been identified, however, the serving representatives are Mortimer Mingo, Chairperson, Denise Belgrave Co-Chairperson, the Chief Executive Officer of the Linden Hospital Complex Dr. Mohammed Riyasat, former Matron of the hospital Naomi Cox, Regional Health Officer, Dr. Pansy Armstrong, Patrick Hutson, representatives from the Linden Town Council, the Guyana Nurses’ Association, the Kwakwani Regional Hospital, the Regional Democratic Council, the Linden Electricity Company Incorporated, a religious organisation, the Cancer Society (Linden), the Peoples’ Progressive Party, and the Guyana Public Service Union.
By: Delicia Haynes.
Images: Karime Peters.