Latest update January 19th, 2025 2:55 AM
Community involvement necessary for effective health facilities in Hinterland – GRPA
Community involvement in hard to reach areas, like the Guyana’s hinterland, is necessary for accessible
GRPA Executive Director, Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth
health facilities to be effective and feasible.
According to Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth it is necessary to have such an approach to healthcare for the hinterland region to achieve long term health services.
During an interview with this publication, Bisnauth cited that the regions which need the most improvement in health facilities are the Hinterland area. This region of Guyana includes five of the country’s 10 Administrative Regions (One, Seven Eight, Nine and Ten), and accounts for 76 percent of the country’s landmass.
Having conducted several projects in that area in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues, Bisnauth described the area as having “very very poor” health facilities. She posited that as such contraceptives are hardly ever available in those regions.
“I think money is the greatest problem,” said the health professional, “Even for GRPA; logistically it costs quite a lot. We’re able to do work, but not systematic or sustained work.” Some of the agency’s missions to the Hinterland include to Region One and the Pomeroon Region.”
Bisnauth added that travel expenses to these Regions are another factor which contributes to the unavailability of certain healthcare in those areas, and believes that it has also been a factor for the government.
The GRPA Director recalled that during the campaign trail for this year’s Regional and General Elections, President David Granger had spoken of developing the Hinterland Region, which included healthcare development.
To do so, Bisnauth said that the national budget will have to make substantial allocations in that area of development. “To say that we are serious about addressing the needs of those in the Hinterland area, it needs a big budget for health facilities,” related the Director.
It is for that reason Bisnauth is of the view that a review of the healthcare system, how it functions and the factors that are impeding its management needs to be done.
“That’s why I think that partnership and seeking funding would be helpful approaches,” shared Bisnauth, “You need community involvement to have these things feasible and effective”. She noted that when “one off” projects are conducted in the area there is a lack of community investment and thus it phases out.
In addition to community involvement, the health professional said that there needs to be a reinforcement of patients’ rights in the populace. This, along with robust monitoring, reporting and implementing recommendations are necessary in improving healthcare from the Hinterland to the Coastland.
“We really have to beef up our community health care system and ensure that information is readily available,” related Bisnauth.
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