Primary health care system in appalling state

Aug 30, 2015 News

…to undergo drastic changes – Health Minister

The appalling state of the public health system and its failing delivery structure will be remodeled with a fresh approach that seeks to promote the wellness of all citizens in a green economy, says, Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton.
Dr. Norton said that this will be done through the use of Information Communication Technologies to enhance accountability, transparency, and effectiveness, which he said was so lacking under the PPP/C regime.

Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton

He said that the Ministry of Health is working on a project to incorporate the National Data Management Authority into its E-Governance operation.
Dr. Norton said that the review of the public service Information Communication Technologies (ICT) would restore this Authority which was non-operational for two decades. He said that it will play a meaningful role in the Administration’s E-Governance’s initiatives.
The Public Health Minister revealed that the health sector will include a National Electronic Patient-Care Record (EMR) which will facilitate seamless provisions of health care services to citizens throughout the public sector especially in the Hinterland and Indigenous Communities. The politician noted that the Oshi Center for Health and Social Policy of New York will be in Guyana from October 10 – 19 to conduct an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) pilot study at three sites to be identified here in Guyana.
He reminded that the coalition’s manifesto under Health Systems and Services, promises that there will be the strengthening of health surveillance units, Data collections and Laboratories Services particularly in hinterland regions especially since the hinterland is becoming a geographic engine of economic development.
Dr. Norton asserted that this will be fulfilled as he also intends to enhance the public health surveillance system in order to maintain and improve the evidence-base planning and decision-making to ensure value-for money in the utilization of the country’s health resources.
With regard to improving sanitation, the Health Minister said that changes in this area will increase the Ministry’s capabilities to detect and respond to emergent threats. He said, “We have to be able to do so to avoid crisis situations such as that which has been referred to by the President of Guyana, David Granger only recently in his booklet entitled “DEATH IN THE NORTH WEST”. In that booklet, the President made mention of the regions’ large rivers being the source of drinking water. I quote ‘Herein lies the problem – when the water is polluted, children die, especially from gastro-enteritis’.”
Dr. Norton stated that at that time in Port Kaituma, in just three months alone, the number of those afflicted was 529 including the death of three children.
He said that this prompted a motion to be brought before this National Assembly to investigate this crisis by Granger, who was then the Leader of the Opposition.
He reminded that the PPP/C, true to form, voted it down. He said that not too long after, there was such another outbreak in the Wai Wai community of Masakeneri in Region Nine.
The Public Health Minister said that this must become something of the past. He said that his Ministry will put systems in place to avoid these crisis situations of Guyanese becoming sick in specific communities in large numbers.
“It is our commitment to provide accessible potable water and sanitation facilities consistent with the guidance from the health care system to the entire Guyanese nation. There shall no longer be situations like that of the Patamona Village of Kamana, Region Eight. I was there only recently and it was found that the entire village was without access to potable water for a prolonged period of time,” The Minister added.
The Public Health Minister also disclosed that he will be making moves to strengthen the delivery of primary health care services to promote greater integration of health services in general including environmental surveillance to meet the needs of remote communities in particular.
Dr. Norton said that in eye care delivery for instance, of the entire Guyanese population only 47.2 percent had eye screening done in 2014.
In dental care, only 31.9 percent of the Guyanese population had annual checkups last year. He said that the APNU/AFC Government will set out to correct these deficiencies.
Dr. Norton said that the statistics for dental care is not surprising, particularly when one reads the 2014 report of the Principal Dental Surgeon of the Ministry of Public Health.
In that report, Dr. Norton related said that it shows how the Principal Dental Surgeon was clamoring for new additional equipment including portable dental chairs and dental units for outreach and schools program in all regions of the country.
The Minister bemoaned this state of affairs and said that at least two portable dental chairs and dental units are needed in each of the 10 regions.
He said that dental equipment, instruments and materials across the country are old and failing.
“Only recently the sterilization room at the Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre was found to be in dire need of repairs and ventilation in some departments renders it most uncomfortable to work. This government is in the process of changing all of these conditions, all being in a state of neglect for years under the PPP/C,” the Public Health Minister stated.
Dr. Norton continued, “It is most unfortunate that with all the deficiencies in dental health care and revelations that only a 31.9 percent of the Guyanese population had access to annual dental checkups, the past government found no problem in spending $2.1 M of taxpayers’ monies for dental work of one of its then Ministers. This is a scandal”
The Public Health Minister emphasized to Kaieteur News that the poor conditions of public health care is worrying but pledged that his ministry is dedicated to making radical changes.
He said that this has already started.