Region One gets new boats, engines to boost healthcare delivery

Seven new 40-horsepower boats and engines were handed over to the Regional Health Department in Region One on Tuesday to boost healthcare delivery across riverine communities.

Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony spearheaded the exercise, stressing that the watercrafts will enhance mobility for healthcare workers, allowing them to improve service to remote communities.

Dr Anthony underscored the importance of service delivery for those unable to travel to health facilities, especially in vulnerable populations.

“We want to enhance primary healthcare. We want to make sure that we can offer a comprehensive range of services, and by providing these boats, we will be able to do just that,” he said.

With the addition of the boats, health teams will also be able to reach residents directly in their homes, ensuring essential services such as vaccinations, routine check-ups, and emergency care are delivered in a timely and efficient manner.

Regional Health Officer Dr Steven Cheefoon explained that outreach services play a critical role in the region’s healthcare system, and “This model is very beneficial because this is one of the areas that we struggled with, and since we offered mobility through boats and through bikes last year, we ended the year with no maternal death.”

He also noted that the expanded mobility strengthens maternal healthcare services. Expectant mothers between 34 and 36 weeks are accommodated at the new maternal waiting home in Mabaruma, where they receive care from trained midwives, a gynaecologist, and other medical professionals in preparation for the safe delivery of their babies.

Mobile vaccination drives also ensure children – from birth to early childhood – receive timely immunisation, and school health programmes allow medical teams to visit students in riverine areas who might otherwise face barriers to access medical services.