Latest update January 20th, 2025 4:00 AM
PAHO Director lauds work of C/ville Health Centre
Perhaps it was because of its laudable track record or simply because it was the first health
Dr Dr Carissa Etienne is flanked by Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran (right) and Manager of the Campbellville Health Centre, Dr Kampta Prasad
facility that Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, thought of, that the Campbellville Health Centre was among the sites that benefited from an auspicious visit from Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr Carissa Etienne.
The Dominica-born Dr Etienne, who arrived in Guyana on Wednesday, is slated to engage the health sector during a five-day visit that will culminate on Sunday.
And it was nothing but glowing remarks that Dr Etienne had for the health workers who offer their expertise at the Health Centre following a tour of the facility yesterday.
The Campbellville Health Centre which falls under the purview of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is currently listed as one of the best managed health centres in the country. The facility is managed by Dr Kampta Prasad, who guided Dr Etienne’s tour yesterday.
“What you are doing is of immense value to your population and I want to encourage you to continue to work assiduously,” said Dr Etienne as she expressed her passion for the primary health care field.
“It is very important; it is still what makes me excited. Every country I go to I ask to go to a health centre, because that helps me to keep my orientation…this is what health is all about,” said the evidently passionate PAHO Director.
Even as she reflected on a period of her life when she was integrally involved in primary health care work, Dr Etienne noted that there are times that health workers operating at this level are forced to believe that their roles are not significant enough.
“Sometimes you are made to believe that what you are doing is second class, it’s less than; and sometimes (even) your hospital nurses and doctors will make you feel like what you are doing is really less than what you are doing…the truth is NO!” Dr Etienne categorically asserted.
She pointed out that the majority of people residing in the community opt for the type of primary health care services offered at the Campbellville Health Centre.
Some of the staffers of the Health Centre during Dr Etienne’s visit.
“You can help them to remain healthy; you can help them to ensure that they remain immunised, so that the children don’t get sick and die,” said Dr Etienne.
She added that the role of primary health care workers too is to work towards ensuring that fewer people are exposed to communicable diseases, including the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
“The work that you do is of high importance and it is high up on my list,” said Dr Etienne, who related that moves towards universal health care must embrace primary health care.
Even as she lauded what she saw at the local Health Centre, Dr Etienne noted that she has seen a number of countries in the Americas with better health facilities, but “they don’t have what you have.”
“They may have nice hospitals and they may have sophisticated equipment, but that does not bring health to people; the work that you do, that’s what ensures health,” said Dr Etienne as she congratulated the work of the Health Centre.
In the forward movement of the delivery of health care, she noted that there will be more focus on primary health care with efforts being made to incorporate the involvement of the community.
And even as she alluded to a satisfaction survey conducted by the Health Centre, Dr Etienne pointed out that moves should be made to expand such efforts, to ensure that the community members could better discuss with health workers their needs and how best they can be catered to.
Dr Etienne’s tour of the Campbellville Health Centre saw her being accompanied by local health officials including Minister of Health, Dr Bheri Ramsaran; GPHC’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Khan, and senior PAHO officials including Resident Representative, Dr William Adu Krow.
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