More than twenty-five healthcare professionals will benefit from a Zika workshop sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) release, the two-day training exercise which will be held at the Cara Lodge is a train-the-trainer workshop aimed at providing psychosocial support to parents and caregivers of Zika-affected children. It is a collaboration between the governments of Guyana and the United States of America aimed at improving the health and well-being of Guyanese citizens relative to the Zika epidemic.
The US Deputy Chief of Mission, Terry Steers-Gonzalez, in his remarks stated that this Zika Maternal and Child Survival workshop will highlight proven coping skills and strategies to effectively manage daily challenges and improve health outcomes.
“Caring for children with disabilities presents unique challenges this can often result in parental stress and depression, which in turn can (harm) the child’s development. Therefore, this workshop will prepare mental health, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation professionals to roll-out national training on clinical and non-clinical aspects of care of affected infants and children,” Steers-Gonzalez was quoted as saying.
He also disclosed that the healthcare professionals will be instructed on how to train caregivers to conduct recovery therapies and early infant and child stimulation at home, which will help in achieving developmental milestones.
The psychosocial support training will continue to be one of the main pillars of the Zika Project that will assist in strengthening the resilience of individuals, families and communities to manage the effects of Zika, the DPI further stated.
