“MoPH no longer a ‘laid-back’ ministry” – RCHS Director to Region Six Health Officials
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, June 13, 2018
During a recent visit to the East Berbice-Corentyne Region, Regional and Clinical Health Services Director, Dr. Kay Shako told health officials in the region that the Ministry of Public Health is becoming more proactive in health service delivery.
She said that based essentially on her visit to the Skeldon, Mibicuri and Port Moraunt Hospitals she can safely surmise that there have been improvements to each of these facilities. She said, by extension, the improvements are recorded throughout the health sector countrywide.
“The information is there, the Ministry of Public Health is no longer a laid-back Ministry but a Ministry that is currently making strides and as we continue to move forward, we are going to have positive outcomes for our patients and the community.” Dr. Shako pointed out.
The Director supported this statement by adding that the ministry’s work is influenced by Health Vision 2020 which sets out a plan for long-term health planning. Health Vision 2020 establishes a post-Millenium Development Goals agenda for Guyana through expanding universal health coverage and enabling health-enhancing behavioural and cultural changes in and through the delivery of improved health services.
Dr. Shako explained that “we [MoPH] use Health Vision 2020 as our guide in the way health is delivered in the country. Our Health Vision 2020 speaks to the goal of us having a healthy and productive population. Then, we have the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which say to us we must ensure health and promote well-being for all people of all ages.”
Ministry of Public Health has a vision that health care must be accessible, acceptable, affordable, timely and appropriate to meet the needs of all persons living in Guyana. This is a theme conceptualised by the Regional Health Services Department of the ministry as a motivator for better health care delivery in the regions.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings who spearheaded the visit to Region Six said that there needs to be greater collaboration at the regional level to ensure the vision of the Health Ministry is realised.
Minister Cummings added, “health is everybody’s business and it’s a human right and what we want to deliver here is a patient centred care. This is an approach where the patient comes first and the patient is important. We want everyone to access health, this universal health care we talk about.”
By: Delicia Haynes.
Images: Leon Leung.