Public health training available for hinterland youths – Min. Lawrence tells Reg. Eight Toshaos

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, March 19, 2019

The Ministry of Public Health has modified its policy to allow more hinterland youths to access to training the field of health.

During a recent visit to Region Eight, Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence told Toshaos and other regional officials, “We have changed the methodology; I heard about persons not being able to access training because they don’t have the relevant qualifications but we have changed our policy to say that persons coming from the hinterland, Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine that we will accept X, Y and Z, whatever the qualification.”

The minister who was part of a panel of government ministers who met with the community leaders at the Multi-Purpose Building in Kato to address the needs of the residents in the area; as the administration continues development in the region.

Minister Lawrence referred to the training of Community Health Workers in at least two hinterland regions which began in late 2017.

“We have even gone a step further. We have started coming to your regions and training persons who can work in your health facilities in your communities. We have done so in (Region) Nine, we are wrapping up in Region One.”

She encouraged the Toshaos to be prepared as this particular training programme will soon be extended to youths in Region Eight. According to the Minister, interested persons will be trained simultaneously with those from Region Seven. She further detailed that the selection of these persons will not be done by the ministry.

“You, the toshaos, get to pick those persons. We don’t come in here and say ok show me your party card. We ask the toshaos to choose for us the best young people in the community who will participate in the various courses; CHW, Midwifery and so on.”

In 2018, two batches of Community Health Workers, totalling 40 persons were trained. These trainees came from villages within the three sub-regions of Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo, Region Nine. Meanwhile a batch of 21 in Barima-Waini, Region One are about to graduate.

Each participant has been trained to carefully attend to social and health-related issues within their respective communities. More importantly, with the high rates of maternal mortality in the hinterland, the CHWs are being equipped to play a role in tackling these numbers.

Delicia Haynes.

Images: Anil Seelall.

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