Waipa, Karisparu residents benefit from specialised medical outreaches
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2gQVWD_7N8″ width=”100%” height=”315″]
─ as ministry sets out to target far-flung communities
─ creating more access to healthcare
─ services offered free
DPI, Guyana, Sunday, January 13, 2019
Residents of Waipa, in the Potaro-Siparuni Region – Region Eight over the weekend benefited from a medical outreach with specialists from the Ministry of Public Health providing services. A similar exercise was conducted in Karisparu.
Specialists on both teams included dentists, ophthalmologists and dermatologists along with general medical practitioners. These outreaches were organized after word came to the public health ministry that residents of these two communities were in dire need of these services.
Spearheading the exercise in Waipa was Regional and Clinical Services Director, Dr. Kay Shako, while Inter-Ministerial Coordinator Seewchan gave oversight in Karisparu. Specialists on the team were those from the current Cuban Medical Brigade in Guyana.
The two teams had set out to serve approximately 350 and 180 residents in Waipa and Karisparu, respectively. Cases from as simple as joint pains to cold and flu symptoms, skin allergies to low and blurred vision were all aptly diagnosed and treated. Teeth cleaning, filling and extractions were also done. All services provided were at no cost to residents.
In other cases, referrals were made to health facilities in Brazil and to the Mahdia Regional Hospital for X-Rays and other screenings. Residents all agreed that the outreach was timely since the health post does not provide this level of service and access in and out of the communities sometimes poses a challenge.
Speaking on behalf of the village of Waipa, Toshao Norbert Adams explained that it had been some time since a medical team visited his village. He also pointed out that the outreach comes at a time when the Community Health Worker alone is unable to capture, diagnose and treat illnesses that may present itself in the area.
“We were expecting very good treatment from the doctors and nurses and whoever it is because we haven’t seen a Doctor or trained nurse or Medex or even a Dentex for years ago and then we need to be receiving proper medical care from the team.”
This outreach, to the two remote villages in Region Eight, comes as the ministry is sticking to its mandate of making health care accessible to all persons in Guyana. Also, the ministry is earnestly seeking to place specialists in the region to work on a longer basis.
This would mean that residents would routinely and more readily have access to primary healthcare as well as specialized services while those in far-flung communities like Waipa and Karisparu can expect continuous outreaches with these specialized services.
Dr. Shako told residents that, “the mandate of the Ministry of Public Health is to ensure that different levels of healthcare are being administered to persons in various communities and persons need not only to enjoy primary healthcare but can also get secondary healthcare and that is healthcare you would usually receive from a regional hospital.”
She added that there will be follow up outreaches during the year to capture new cases as well as review those that were seen. Meanwhile, outreaches have been planned for other remote areas including Orealla and Kamarang.
By: Delicia Haynes.
Images: Leon Leung.