Region Six medical professional undergo mental health training
DPI, Guyana, Monday, May 28, 2018
Medical Professionals in Berbice, and across Region Six, have begun a six-week training programme to assess and categorise psychiatric patients.
Members of the head table (from left to right) Regional Executive Officer Kim Williams-Stephen, Director of Regional Health Services, Jevaughn Andrew Stephen and Director of the Mental Health Unit, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas.
The training programme targets medical professionals from the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital and other Health Centres across the region.
The Ministry of Public Health is collaborating with the Pan America Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Regional Democratic Council East Berbice- Corentyne to stage this exercise.
At the May 24 launch, Director of Mental Health Unit Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas said, the training provides the participants with the necessary skills to assess their patients’ mental capabilities. “It is to detect whether or not the patients have any knowledge on how to handle money, prepare a simple meal, self-grooming, dress themselves or any other skills that are necessary or important in our everyday life and the general world”, Doctor Thomas explained.
At the conclusion of the six weeks training participants should be better able to detect patients’ ability to be reintegrated into society. Dr. Richmond-Thomas added that depending on the outcome of the assessment, a special plan will be design for the patients’ reintegration.
Meanwhile Director of Regional Health Services, Jevaughn Andrew Stephen encouraged the medical professionals to apply the training in their everyday working environment. Stephen also urged the participants to take share what they have learnt, to their fellow colleagues unable to access the training programme.
The programme was also welcomed by Regional Executive Officer Kim Williams-Stephen. The REO noted that the Council is always in support of improving health care services throughout the region. Williams-Stephen called on more men to become mental health professionals, since the job is over populated with women, who are sometimes hard-pressed to deal with the more aggressive patients.
By: Tanuja Raikha
Images by Tanju Raikha.
Some of the participant at the mental health training workshop.