As part of her country visit to Guyana, PAHO Director Dr. Carissa Etienne yesterday visited the Campbell-ville Health Centre, where she reminded workers of the importance of their services.
During the afternoon visit, Dr. Etienne, who is also the Regional Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO), encouraged health workers and doctors at the health centre to work assiduously and to promote and educate their population about communicable diseases so as to prevent their outbreaks. “What you are doing is very important for people’s health. Sometimes you are made to feel what you are doing is second class but the truth is no,” she said, while noting that the health centre workers serve the majority of the community and it was their responsibility to ensure that they remain healthy.
“So the work you do is high up on my list,” she said. “It is still my love; it is still what makes me excited…every country I go to I ask to visit a health centre because this is what health is all about,” she added, while urging the workers to value their work.
“This is the most important level of the health care system and it is there that the health sector must interact with the people to ensure that we deliver not only health services but we have a comprehensive service,” she stated further.
Presently, Campbellville Health Centre, serves a population of 10,000 and sometimes it sees patients outside of its mandate, said the health centre’s social worker Nicole Cole. She said the centre is working with a team of 20 health workers, including 11 doctors. The centre offers counselling, pre-natal care, post-natal care and child care, immunisation, mental health care, dental care, outpatient services, HIV testing, family planning and social welfare services, and pharmaceutical care.
Cole said she considered the health centre the best in the country and felt very privileged to have the PAHO Director visit. “It shows that primary health care is important because it is the first line of care,” she said.
Dr. Etienne is on a four-day visit to Guyana and will be visiting the George-town Public Hospital Corporation today.
