Health Ministry refutes findings of IDB report on issues affecting Indigenous People

Apr 09, 2019 News

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A report that was published by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in February had highlighted that there are a number of issues affecting Guyana’s Indigenous villages, one being poor healthcare.
But the Ministry of Public Health is refuting many of the findings the IDB had in this regard.
The Ministry recalled that the IDB report said that in Baramita, “dengue is the most commonly reported illness, while in Waramuri, several different unclassified cases were reported.” The Ministry stressed that this is not so.
It said that the epidemiological profile for Baramita shows that Malaria, Acute Respiratory Infections, Acute Gastroenteritis, and Non-communicable Diseases (for example hypertension and diabetes) are the health conditions that impact that community. It said, “To substantiate this, currently, in Baramita, microscopy testing and treatment are done. In 2017, the Ministry of Public Health (Vector Control Services), with the Regional Democratic Council conducted a mass net distribution. Currently, there are two Community Health Workers in training who would have received rapid diagnostic testing ( RDT) for malaria and they are also in training for treatment of malaria.”
The Ministry also deemed as inaccurate, the finding by the IDB report that malaria is endemic in St. Cuthbert’s Mission. Contrary to the IDB report, the Ministry categorically stated that in Muritario, there are no reported cases of tuberculosis while noting that there has always been a Community Health Worker there for the past 15 years.
It said that visits by the Medex were done every eight weeks and for the past two years and on a monthly basis by a doctor.
According to the IDB report, diarrhoea was most the frequently reported case in Santa Aratak Mission, and Waramadong. The Ministry noted that indeed, Santa Aratak Mission was plagued with the prevalence of diarrhoea but not in the past two years.
It said that this was mainly because of difficulties in getting to access potable water. Recently, the Ministry said that there have being water wells and the practice of rain harvesting continues to be done with hygienic measures being put in place.
The Ministry said that based on the epidemiological profile of the Upper Mazaruni, the most common conditions reported are Upper Respiratory Infections especially in children, and skin conditions that affect both adults and children.
It said, “Occasionally there are sporadic cases of gastroenteritis. Diarrhoea is not the most frequent condition in Waramadong. Of significance, both Waramadong and Jawalla are health posts that have the privilege of doctors being placed there to execute a higher level of care.
“A health post is a level one facility and as such a Community Health Worker is usually assigned to such facility. The fact that we have fully qualified doctors in those areas means to say that diverse disease conditions can be easily detected and managed. The Ministry of Public Health based on its mandate deployed doctors to those areas given the nature and types of activities that take place there.”
The Ministry added, “The article claimed cold and flu were most frequent in Moraikobai. Hitherto, this is the only area whereby reported information seems to be correct. Based on confirmed reports, there has been an increase in the number of cases of cold and flu.
“An estimate of cases from December 2018 to March 2019 revealed that currently there are approximately 140 cases.”
MEDICAL STAFF IN THE VILLAGES
The IDB report which is based on a 2014 survey said that the lack of adequate numbers of full-time medical personnel is an important issue that needs to be addressed to improve the health and wellbeing of the residents of these villages.
In this regard, the IDB pointed out that with respect to part-time medical personnel, it was found that seven of the 11 villages were discovered to have at least one part-time doctor. Five had part-time dentists, three had part-time medics, three had part-time nurses, and none had part-time midwives or health workers. Baramita, Waramuri, St. Ignatius, and Muritaro had no part-time medical personnel.
Considering the aforementioned, the Ministry explained that health facilities are staffed according to the LEVEL of services they provide. The Ministry said, “In Guyana, we have five LEVELS of facilities beginning with the health post (LEVEL 1 facility), which is located in most of our indigenous communities and is usually managed by a Community Health Worker (CHW) who is trained and authorized to provide some basic care and focus on health promotion and prevention, with the option of referring a patient to the next levels if need be. The highest facility being LEVEL 5 facility (the GPHC) would offer secondary and tertiary health care services.” It added, “All the communities mentioned have health facilities which are currently being managed by at least, a CHWs.
Additionally, Waramadong, Waramuri, St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Jawalla and Baramita have all been enjoying the services of a medical doctor over the past four years. The placement of medical doctors in those locations is as a direct result of the Ministry of Public Health’s plan, in responding to the specific/different healthcare needs of the communities, and it is done on a priority and resource availability basis.”
In addition to this, the Ministry said that other communities have health facilities ranging from LEVEL #1 and LEVEL #2. The Ministry said that those facilities would have been staffed with the appropriate level of staff base on the level of the health facility.
“For example, a Community Health Worker works at a level one health facility which is a health post. However, in a few areas where the communities have large population, to ensure accessibility in health care, one may find a doctor working at a health post, as noted in some areas in regions one and seven,” the Ministry said. The Public health Ministry also said that it continues to review the annual plans being presented by the various regions to ensure that they are done in keeping with the guidelines as stated in the national strategic document (Health Vision 2020).

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