Retired community health worker grooming youths for career in health

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, August 15, 2018

A retired Community Health Worker (CHW), living in Princeville, Potaro-Siparuni, known to everyone in his community simply as ‘Henrito’, has pledged to work closely with the Ministry of Public Health to ensure there are sufficient trained health workers in communities throughout Region Eight.

Henrito volunteers in his community, engaging residents in healthy lifestyle habits while performing the functions of a CHW in his village. He is of the opinion that his knowledge must be imparted to the younger residents in the community. Henrito made it his mission to ensure more hinterland youths receive the necessary training in order to meet and serve the needs of those in their respective communities.

During a recent visit to the region, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, accompanied by Director of Regional and Clinical Health, Dr. Kay Shako and other senior Officials conducted supervisory checks to several health posts and the district hospital at Mahdia.

In her overview of the visit, Minister Lawrence noted that Henrito had indicated his willingness “to come back on the job and work with the Ministry of Public Health. He has also promised to identify a few young persons who have just graduated from secondary school here in Region Eight so that they can begin to understudy him and eventually participate in the CHW course.”

The Public Health Minister has been advocating for the renewal of primary health care services in hinterland communities. Particularly, the training and equipping of CHWs who play a significant role in the healthcare chain of services.  The training forms part of a process of preventative medicine and health care delivery and health promotions activities targeting families in the respective communities.

To this end, the ministry has been networking with regional authorities of far-flung hinterland communities to improve and expand the delivery of healthcare services. “The best way to do so is by using the potential in each community so that residents can have easier access to health care services,” Minister Lawrence emphasised.

Delicia Haynes

Images: Aubrey Odle (Ministry of Public Health)