Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Audiology workers complete two-day workshop
The Disability and Rehabilitation Services in the Ministry of Public Health recently concluded a two-day workshop on audiology, with the ultimate aim of keeping local audiology practitioners up-to-date.
Members of the audiology workshop with facilitator Dr. Ruth Quacioe (centre, seated)
The workshop was held at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, Kingston, over two days from November 12. It saw the participation of about 20 personnel of the Audiology Departments across the regions.
One of the workshop’s facilitators, Dr. Ruth Quaicoe, explained that it was important that audiology practitioners meet regularly to keep themselves up-to-date. Dr. Quaicoe is also the head of Audiology in Guyana as well as an Audiology Physician.
“They’re here to participate and put their heads together to see the way forward and plan for next year,” Dr. Quaicoe said.
She added that the Central Audiology Clinic located in the Georgetown Public Hospital conducts workshops bi-annually – one at the beginning of the year and the other towards the end.
She said that the first day of the workshop focused on introducing the participants to key developments in Audiology including new techniques of fitting hearing aids.
“Because they are away from the Central Audiology Clinic, we had to give them some practice on how new hearing aids are used. Because those in the regions were unable to see how aids are fitted we had to bring them and teach them about that,” she said. The first day also saw the presentation of reports from each region, covering the last quarter of the year.
“It’s very important that we bring them together to know what’s going on. They report to us on the phone but that doesn’t fully cover the problems that need to be addressed,” she said.
“Most of the reports we’re getting, they are doing exactly what they need to do but there were a few that are not focusing because they don’t have audiology seniors to overlook them. In some cases, some clinics, for the past two quarters, they fitted no hearing aid.” She emphasised that if hearing aids are administered properly, at least one person would require a hearing aid.
The second and final day of the workshop focused on work ethics and an introduction to new ways of managing clinics, improving the quality of service in the clinics, and trying to advise them how to react with other medical workers.
When questioned on Audiology in Guyana, Dr. Quaicoe noted that the area is not a commonly discussed one in Guyana. She said that the main issue facing Audiology in Guyana is the lack of equipment. She said that setting up an audiology clinic is pointless if there is not enough equipment to cater to the patients’ needs.
“One of the things we suffer from is not having enough equipment and most times most of the equipment we’ve got to buy in Georgetown and send it to the other regions. When we ask the regions to buy equipment, they don’t buy the right things and we’re trying to get the regions to buy their own equipment,” Dr. Quaicoe explained.
She said, too, that training is a difficult area as well since so many of the audiology practitioners are located outside of Georgetown.
“In order to train people, they have to come from their regions to Georgetown then go back.”
She said that many of the workers in outlying areas work without supervision.
“Most of the people in the regions are juniors and are supposed to be working with supervision but most times it’s very difficult for persons to travel from Georgetown to go supervise work in other regions. So, if they can’t make a visit, we talk to them on the phone. Nonetheless, the ideal thing is on the job training and supervision,” she said.
The workshop, which ran from 9:00am to 3:00pm each day, featured interactive sessions administered by four facilitators. Some of the participants came from as far as Kamarang, Region Seven.
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