Strategic UG courses to aid integrated delivery of health care

Jan 05, 2018 News

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In order to improve and expand its services, the health sector is in need of an integrated approach to execute its mandate of health care delivery. For this reason, the University of Guyana [UG] has been looking to introduce a number of programmes to lend to this approach. It was with this in mind that a Psychology Programme was recently launched by the national university. It is offering certificate, diploma and degree programmes.
But according to the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Emanuel Cummings, one of the most enterprising programmes that UG has introduced in recent years might be its Medical Rehabilitation programme.
Under the Medical Rehabilitation umbrella, students are offered courses in Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy. Although a number of individuals have started to apply for the Medical Rehabilitation programme, Dr. Cummings said that the majority have been gravitating to Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy.
Some persons have started to take interest in the Occupational Therapy aspect. This resulted in the university graduating, at its 51st Convocation ceremony last November, its inaugural batch of Occupational Therapist.
“That was the first batch of Occupational Therapy graduates in the history of the University of Guyana,” said a beaming Dr. Cummings yesterday. He said that while the other areas of Medical Rehabilitation are very important too, Occupational Therapy is increasingly being recognised as an imperative in the health system.
He explained that the Occupational Therapist is a trained individual who has the capacity to attend to patients with mental instabilities. Such persons can work independently or in conjunction with a Psychiatrist to provide support to patients with mental health issues, Dr. Cummings explained.
“Their [Occupational Therapists] role is to help nurture patients back to mental stability. Even if they are institutionalised, the Occupational Therapist can provide that additional support which could help to integrate them back into a normal life…they can teach them a craft or some sporting activity so that they can regain their capacity to be normal human beings,” Dr. Cummings underscored.

“This integrated approach to health care is important. We are accustomed to if you are sick or you have a disability you go to the nurse or doctor but that was the traditional, old primary health care thing. The whole concept of primary health care today is that health care is more holistic…There are other levels of professionals who are just as important; there are several more health care professionals that could contribute to the wellbeing of a patient,” the Health Sciences Dean ascertained.
Even as he expressed the need for the integrated approach, Dr. Cummings sought to explain that while a doctor is often the professional tasked with making diagnoses he/she requires support from other health professionals to do so.
“He needs results from the personnel in the laboratory, who do the x-rays, and ultrasounds to come up with a diagnosis. A diagnosis can’t be done in isolation…so there is need to expand the services offered, to be more efficient and effective in delivering health care.”
When questioned about the Medical Rehabilitation programme last year, Dr. Cummings said that although the applicants were few, it is still very relevant.
The programme was first introduced as a general Rehabilitation Services Degree but the university with the support of the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association [ASHA] was able to apply some modification touches.
Under the broad heading of Medical Rehabilitation, the Rehabilitation Services courses are coordinated by Dr. Shaine Villareal of the Philippines.
The programme has also gained immense support from Peace Corp Guyana which has been bringing to Guyana very experienced professionals to assist with lecture sessions. Also local doctors who were trained in Cuba, and elsewhere, have been lending lecture support in addition to other trained professionals within the public health sector.
Previously, the Health Ministry offered rehabilitation programme training courses at the certificate level. The certificate courses were offered for a period of 18 months and allowed persons to be trained in the various areas of rehabilitation services.
Once completed these individuals were qualified at the Assistant level and employed within the public health sector throughout the country.
However, with the higher level training at UG, the health sector is now in a position to recruit more qualified persons to cater for its delivery of rehabilitation services, according to Dr. Cummings.

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