16 news
tuesday, april 8, 2014| guyanatimesGY.com
Region 10 wants establishment of Regional Health Authority S
everal issues affecting the quality of healthcare delivery in Linden and areas across Region 10 have led to a call by Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon for the setting up of a Regional Health Authority (RHA). A call was also made by Regional Councillor Maurice Butters, who also serves as Region 10 Health Committee Chairman, for the resuscitation of the Region 10 Occupational Health and Safety Committee. These matters were discussed and brought to the forefront as the Region 10, Regional Democratic Council (RDC) conducted its monthly statutory meeting for the month of April.
to date, is not given the consideration for the Regional Health Authority. The people have their own concerns about it... I think Region 10 should have a Regional Health Authority to bring healthcare delivery under one umbrella. Rather than us having a parallel healthcare system of the region with an RHO [Regional Health Officer], then a board running the hospital through a CEO [Chief Executive Officer] and the Ministry of Health. Who is accountable to the region in the absence of these things? Whether it’s an ambulance or drugs? More than that, I would go even further to ask for the co-operation of the hospital too,” he said.
Current issues
The Regional Chairman added that the RDC is becoming more concerned about healthcare delivery since it is tasked with some major responsibilities under that bracket. “It comes back to the parallel healthcare delivery system within the region, where we have the region with the RHO, who can be directly held accountable by the region, for healthcare delivery at the level of our healthcare facilities.
Addressing current issues affecting the region such as the shortage of medical drugs and the recent absence of an ambulance at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) and its sister hospitals, Solomon said there is need for the body to be set up, which will be tasked with the responsibility of firmly addressing such issues. “I would echo the call again, just like Region Six, I don’t know why Region 10,
Parallel healthcare system
Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon
Then there are the hospitals which are run through the Health Ministry, but yet still the people of this region are looking forward to ensure that their representation for proper healthcare is through this council. So that is our concern.” In wake of a drug countrywide drug shortage at various medical institutions, Region 10 RHO, Dr Pansy Armstrong upon the request of the RDC, provided the most recent update for Region 10.
It was noted that of 360 drugs which were ordered to be supplied to the LHC, 320 were received. However, according to Dr Armstrong’s report, LHC CEO, Dr Farouk Riyasat has indicated that there are no emergency drugs. A request has since been made by the RDC for a list of the names of the drugs which are on the drug shortage list. There was also reportedly a shortage of gauzes which were expected to be made
available recently. However, Solomon argued that all drugs on the request list should be seen as a priority. “All drugs requested should be made available at the hospital; no drug should be more or less important. There’s no excuse as to whether it’s emergency or not, due to the fact that the request was made. There are persons who go to the hospital with different ailments and I believe it is only right that they should be taken care of effectively,” he said. He added: “Stakeholders have demonstrated a willingness to supply drugs to the hospital.” Recently, a donation of painkillers and other drugs was made to various hospitals and health centres across Region 10 by overseasbased Guyanese, Dr Wayne Sampson and Dr Collie Oudkerk.
Concerns
Councillors added that there is growing concerns by residents over not being able to have free access to some drugs. At the meeting, it was noted that a possible reason for expired drugs at the hospitals in the region may be because often times they have a short shelf life upon
delivery. “We live in a community where some people’s financial situation is not as healthy as it should be and sometimes you may not understand how rough it is until you get sick. The fact of the matter is it (drugs) may not be of emergency, but with the hospital not having it and someone not being able to find an alternative, it can become an emergency to those people,” Solomon reiterated. These sentiments were also echoed by Councillor Leslie Gonsalves, who stated: “Whatever drug should be available must be made available. The reason is that this is a very large region, it crosses into rivers and some interior locations,” he said. In addition, it was noted that the ultrasound machine at the LHC is currently not functioning, which has resulted in some difficulty for patients who require the service. Speaking on the need to have a functioning Occupational Health and Safety Committee within Region 10, Butters said the first task is to look at how the committee should be established and how it should function.
APNU backbenchers give budget thumbs down
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Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) backbenchers, Joan Baveghems and Pastor Renis Morian last Friday told the National Assembly that the budget presented by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh leaves much to be desired by the Guyanese population. Making her contribution to the debate on the 2014 National Budget, Baveghems took her first shot at the allocation made for the elderly, citing it as one of gross disrespect for old age pensioners in the country.
Comfort and dignity
“Mr Speaker, I would love to see the Minister of Finance treat the pensioners as if they were his parents. What can $600 do for them? The pensioners have to pay for proper medical care; they have to purchase medication, drinking water and personal products. This is not cheap, I assure you. Pensioners and our senior citizens need assisted living facilities. They have worked hard and given their services to this country and it is only fitting that we show our appreciation to them by having them spend the remainder of their lives in some degree of comfort and dignity,” the APNU MP said.
APNU MP Joan Baveghems
Turning to the education sector, Baveghems wasted no time in blasting the Education Minister and her Ministry for the conditions in which teachers and educators have to perform their duties, with no provisions being made for them in the budget. “Every year we hear about the billions of dollars that is allocated to the education sector, But, Mr Speaker, I wonder who benefits. Teachers are major stakeholders in the delivery of education but we do not hear anything in the budget to improve the welfare of teachers. I still hear of teachers having to work under conditions that the Honorable Minister and her officials would absolutely refuse to work under,” the MP related. The Opposition MP not stop there, but continued in her quest to point out
APNU MP Pastor Renis Morian
the deficiencies which exist in the school system, while officials and staff at the Education Ministry dwell in comfort and luxury. “Teachers complain everyday of dust falling on them while teaching; inadequate or poor accommodation; poor sanitary facilities for themselves and students; classes being disrupted whenever it rains are among some of the many issues faced by teachers. And it would appear to me that the welfare of the officials and staff of the Ministry of Education are more important than those of the teachers and students,” the APNU MP stated. Morian for his part, told the House that the indigenous people of Guyana are tired of being their “rent a crowd” to cheer their Ministers when they visit the hinterland regions, noting that better opportuni-
ties should be afforded to them. Speaking on the matter, Morian noted that Amerindians were only being used by the administration as election statistics and crowds for their own agenda, but were not considered in the developmental plans of the Government. According to Morian, there is no proper roadmap for the indigenous people which will place them on the same level as coastlanders.
Framework
On this note, he suggested the establishment a National Amerindian Development Programme where broad objectives for holistic development, strategies for success, impacts, measurable indicators, programme framework, etcetera can be identified. Further, he disclosed that the programme’s output can and should include measures for poverty alleviation, access to easy credit and venture capital and food security, which are all crucial to the development of Amerindians and their villages. “Mr Speaker, my call is not an outlandish one. Several countries including the U.S.A., Brazil, India, and Australia just to name a few, have this programme. The indigenous peoples of Guyana need to see their
living standards rise to be on par with the rest of the country,” he noted. The APNU MP told the House that while it is widely said that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry continuously work to assist Amerindians, their approaches have since become anachronistic and offers no real effort to indigenous development.
However, he opined that it was not too late to implement strategies for the improvement of the lives of Amerindians since it will ease the burden of the communities and benefit the many youths who are being pressured to leave their traditional homes at a tender age and venture to other regions to find employment opportunities.
Man remanded on armed robbery charge
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19-year-old Charlestown resident was remanded to prison on Monday by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of robbery under arms. Ron Collins, of Lot 6 Ketley Street, C h a r l e s t o w n , Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by the Chief Magistrate. It is alleged that on April 4 at Lombard Street, Georgetown, the defendant being in possession of a knife robbed Molly Culpepper of one cellphone valued $80,000, $60,000 in cash, one leather purse valued $6000 and one pair of Guess sunglasses valued $20,000, a total value of
$166,000. Police Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that on the day in question at 13:00, the virtual complainant (VC) was coming out of Ramroop Furniture Store when the defendant approached, placed a knife to her neck, and demanded the said articles. The VC handed over the items and the defendant made good his escape. The matter was subsequently reported, and upon investigation, the defendant was arrested. Prosecutor Grant objected to bail, citing the seriousness and the prevalence of the offence. Bail was refused by the Chief Magistrate. The accused is expected to make another court appearance on April 22 for statements.