Region Nine gets healthcare boost – 20 CHWs graduate -specialised in Maternal and Child Health.
DPI, Guyana, Sunday, April 29, 2018
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence says that the Ministry’s Community Health Worker programme allows the administration to tap in the human resources from within the respective communities; thereby reducing the need to “…send large numbers of persons into regions, who are totally out of sync with the cultural habits and the way of life of the residents.”
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence presenting the trophy to best all-around graduating student of 2017-2018, Michael Johnson.
The programme, the Minister said, is also the first step in eliminating maternal and neonatal deaths in the hinterland regions. “Having a health worker in every village in these regions, means mothers have ready access to basic and essential neonatal, guaranteeing them healthy and safe deliveries,” she said.
Minister Lawrence was addressing the graduation ceremony for 25 CHW on Saturday at the Amerindian Residence in Lethem, Region Nine. The graduates, from the villages in the five sub-districts in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo area, completed six months of training focused largely on maternal and child health.
“I hope that you understand it is now time for you to give back to your people,” Minister told the graduates.
Best all-around student, Michael Johnson of Baishaidrun Village explained that despite having not completed secondary school, he was chosen by his village leaders to complete the training. He said serving as a CHW is his way of giving back to his community which offered the opportunity to benefit from “quality education.” Other graduates include Desiree Ayow of Gunn’s Strip, a village which takes two weeks of travel by land and sea. Avow said that she will be returning to her village to “promote proper health.”
The training was funded by a $8M Inter-American Development Bank loan, which aims to ensure equity in healthcare services across the ten administrative regions. Also covered by the loan is the expansion of the maternity waiting home at Lethem.
Desiree Ayaw, Community Health Worker, Gunn’s Strip.
Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence delivering the feature address to newly trained CHWs.
By: Delicia Haynes
Editor’s Note:
The term Community Health Worker embraces a variety of community health aides selected, trained and working in the communities from which they come.
CHW programme of the Ministry of Public Health aims at narrowing the gaps and remedy disparities in health care in hinterland regions and far-flung communities.