More services to be accessed at Albouystown health centre-residents happy with its re-opening

GINA, GUYANA, Monday, May 29, 2017

The re-opening of the Albouystown health centre, Georgetown, today, brought joy to the community’s residents.

Last year, the health centre was closed following complaints by the residents about the deplorable conditions of the clinic.

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence and Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green cutting the ribbon to open the Albouystown Health Centre

The health centre will operate five days a week instead of the previous three-days-a week schedule.

Laverne Nunes, said that she was, “proud of what the government has done for the community and I hope that they make other changes for us to benefit from, at least create a football field to keep the children busy so they wouldn’t dirty the walls of this clinic.”

Donna Plass, another resident said that she was happy, “with the additional services that is available at the health centre especially since it is a clean and tidy environment that the children can visit.”

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence said that the opening of the health centre responds to the residents’ health needs whilst offering quality health services and optimising patient care within the community. The minister pointed out that the health centre will not only focus on maternal and child care, but other services.

These services include: chronic disease clinic, daily outpatient and Voluntary Counselling and testing for HIV, visual inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) and dental health (offered once every quarter).

Minister Lawrence said that the ministry will assign a full time doctor to the health centre due to recommendations from the community. She

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence

noted that health workers will also be doing home visits.

“I trust that the councillors in this area will join with this community’s health workers, along with the NGOs in this community to make this community, a community of healthy people. In this way, we hope to keep apace with the health status of our patients so in the event of a referral we would have current medical records to provide,” Minister Lawrence noted.

The health centre began rendering services in 1970 when it was established under the stewardship of then serving Minister of Public Health, Hamilton Greene.

Meanwhile, Georgetown’s Mayor Patricia Chase-Green urged the residents to continue to pay their taxes so that the municipality can serve the people. Chase-Green noted that the municipality is also hoping to re-establish the Queenstown and Bel Air health facilities with the assistance of the Ministry of Public Health.

Georgetown’s Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green

“Our next stop as the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be the Kitty Market where all of our energy will be focused on to complete it,” the Mayor added.

Chase-Green also expressed her gratitude to the Ministry of Public Health for the extended health services offered under the government in keeping with goal number three of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The goal seeks to ensure health and well-being for all, at every stage of life. It addresses all major health priorities, including reproductive, maternal and child health; communicable, non-communicable and environmental diseases; universal health coverage; and access for all to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines and vaccines.

 

 

By: Neola Damon

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