Public Health, PAHO officials meet with First Lady on Adolescent Heath Document

Georgetown, Guyana — (March 19, 2018) First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, for her noteworthy work with youth in Guyana, was, today, paid a courtesy call by representatives from the Ministry of Public Health and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to discuss the Ministry’s Adolescent Health Strategy Document, which is currently in development. The meeting took place at the Office of the First Lady at State House, Georgetown.

Ministry of Public Health, Sexual Reproductive Health Coordinator, Adolescent Health Unit, Ms. Cilandell Glen said that the First Lady’s far-reaching work with youth across Guyana makes her an ideal candidate for consultation. “It was important to get our First Lady on board in the development of this document because it’s… not only guiding our young people in [Demerara-Mahaica] Region Four, but it’s guiding our adolescents, our young people, throughout Guyana and as a First Lady she could actually have significant influence on the implementation of our document and ensure that it reaches the wide cross-section of Guyana,” she said.

The Adolescent Health Strategy Document is being developed with support from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and PAHO and will focus on reducing adolescent pregnancies, reproductive health, and mental health. Ministry of Public Health, Adolescent Health Services Officer, Dr. Travis Freeman;  PAHO Consultant for Strategy Development, Dr. Beryl Irons, Specialist in Children, Adolescent and Women’s Health, Dr. Janice Woolford, and PAHO Representative in Guyana, Dr. William Adu-Krow also attended the meeting.

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger poses with representatives from the Ministry of Public Health and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), who consulted the First Lady on the development of the Adolescent Health Strategy Document. From left to right are Adolescent Health Services Officer, Dr. Travis Freeman, Adolescent and Women’s Health, Dr. Janice Woolford, Sexual Reproductive Health Coordinator, Adolescent Health Unit, Ms. Cilandell Glen, Consultant for Strategy Development, Dr. Beryl Irons, and PAHO Representative in Guyana, Dr. William Adu-Krow.