Staff input needed in health facilities’ construction planning – Minister Norton
GINA, GUYANA Friday, September 2, 2016
Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton who recently visited the Waramuri Health Centre received complaints of infrastructural expansion being hindered because of the initial design of the building.
Although the minister commended the nurses and the doctors stationed at the facility for the excellent level of maintenance, after careful consideration by staff, it was noted that further expansion is needed.
Doctor- in-Charge of the Waramuri Health Centre, Dr. Orin Lewis highlighted to the minister that a number of expansion works could be made to the building.
From left to right: Doctor-in-Charge of the Kumaka District Hospital, Dr. Taishan Shanks; Hinterland Co-ordinator, Ministry of Public Health, Seewchan; Doctor- in-Charge of the Waramuri Health Centre, Dr. Orin Lewis; Director of Vector Control Services, Dr. Horace Cox; Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton; Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Kay Shako, and Chief Medex, Ministry of Public Health, Lolita Robeiro
At this point the minister said that across the board a number of health facilities have been constructed in the hinterland without doctors’ and other health workers’ inputs, and that expansion cannot be facilitated.
Dr Lewis explained that they have recommended to the regional authorities that a room with at least two beds to house patients needing observation be added. The health centre currently has only one room with a bed to facilitate a new born baby and mother. This room has the only patient washroom facility available.
Whenever the room is not utilised for this purpose, patients under observation are housed in that room. If there is a case where both a patient needing observation and a mother and a new born baby are admitted in the health centre, it would not be possible to accommodate both. Hence the doctor and nurses recommend an additional room along with an outdoor sanitary block.
Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton interacts with Dr. Orin Morgan, Doctor- in-Charge of the Waramuri Health Centre
Dr. Lewis added that there is need for more outreaches to a number of villages in the sub- region since there is a need for specialists to attend to some patients in the areas.
Minister Norton, while visiting the Waramuri Health Centre, delivered drugs and treated bed nets.
The Waramuri Health Centre is located in the Moruca Sub-region, Region One. The health centre serves a population of more than 4,500 residents from catchment areas Waramuri, Haimaracabra and Manawarin.