Network Administrator to help improve health information system

Apr 04, 2018 News

The need to improve Guyana’s health information system has been gaining keen attention. In this regard, the Ministry of Public Health has been receiving support from one of its technical partners, the Pan American Health Organisation [PAHO], to recruit a Network Administrator.
As such the two entities have collaborated to announce a vacancy for a suitable qualified candidate to fill the position.
In an advertisement published in this newspaper, it was pointed out that “the Ministry seeks to ensure that Information Technology adds the maximum value, with the finality for success in increasing availability and use of timely reliable health information.”
It was further pointed out that “efficient information exchange is needed to support operations management, planning, provision of medical care and documentation of healthcare encounters”.
As a result of this impetus for strengthened information systems for health, it was noted that there is a need for an experienced Network Administrator to maintain reliable, secure and efficient data communications in order to endure smooth network operation.
Described as a national post open to citizens of Guyana, the position is one with a timeline of 24 months [two years].
Since last year, Government announced that deliberate moves were apace to improve the procurement and information systems capacity of the Ministry of Public Health.
Speaking during the debate ahead of the passage of the most recent national budget, Senior Public Health Minister, Ms. Volda Lawrence, revealed how the Ministry was gearing to collaborate with PAHO/WHO and E-governance, and was embarking on enhancing the health information system in order to effectively collect and retrieve timely and accurate data and reports in keeping with the Ministry’s strategic Health Vision 2013-2020.
Based on the view at the Ministry level, Lawrence had shared that informed decisions can only be made on evidence-based data. The aim, therefore, is to strengthen the information system, by improving the data collection which will allow for the coordination and harmonisation of the various aspects of patient care towards effective resource allocation and care management in all public health facilities.
Further was the move towards enabling standardized and complete documentation of patient’s health information in order to increase capacity for surveillance, reporting and decision-making activities.
Earlier this year, Government had granted approval for the participation of senior personnel of the Public Health Ministry to participate in a study tour to the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation [PAHO/WHO] office in Washington D. C. The study tour spanned the period February 5 -9, 2018. Yet another study tour to Belize was also announced.
The PAHO/WHO-organised study tours announcement was made by Minister of State Joseph Harmon. He’d disclosed that the study tour to Washington dealt with the organisation of the health sector and placed emphasis on the study of human resources for health procurement and the PAHO strategic fund. The visit to Belize, on the other hand, was intended to build capacity of key personnel of the Ministry in the areas of procurement and information systems.
Among those who were identified for the crucial exposure were Mr. Chetram Phoenix, Principal Personnel Officer; Mr. Phillip Brian, Manager of the Procurement Unit; Mr. Cecil Jacques, Director of the Material Management Unit; Mr. Chris Squires, Acting Head Information System; Mr. Tameshwar Narine, Software Coordinator and Ms. Juanita Jaundoo, Manager, National Health Information System.
It is expected that with the knowledge gained during the study tours, the Ministry would have been poised to address its procurement and information systems effectively. However, based on the recent vacancy announcement, it can be concluded that a Network Administrator is especially crucial to realise an efficient health information system.

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