Mon Repos residents get full-fledged health centre

The Health Ministry has brought reliable health services at the doorsteps of Mon Repos residents when it commissioned a full-fledged health centre in the community on Wednesday.
Speaking at the opening, Region Four Regional Health Officer Dr Vasha Bachan stated that the centre previously provided services three days per week; however, the ministry recognised the need for it to be serviceable on all weekdays.

She noted that most residents in the community previously had to attend the Beterverwagting and Lusignan health centres, where they were greeted with long waiting lines to see the doctors, medics and nurses.
Dr Bachan stated that in light of the extended days, efforts had to be made to improve not only the physical aspects of the building, but also to address the complement of staff in order to have the facility fully operational. Subsequently, a doctor, midwife, nursing assistant and a medic were added to the centre’s staff.
Dr Bachan said in time, more services will be introduced from which the population will benefit.
Meanwhile, the health centre’s General Medical Officer Dr Abbigale Jeffrey, who has been attached to the facility for the past 18 months, stated that the response from residents in the community has been great.
“It has been amazing; we have been receiving lots and lots of patients, so we have taken the work load off the Lusignan and [Beterverwagting] BV centres.”
Parliamentary Secretary Joseph Hamilton said the ministry will seek to establish a health centre in communities which are deprived of such facilities, noting that the ministry will soon endeavour to set up a health centre between La Bonne Intention and Better Hope on the East Coast of Demerara to improve access to health services to the persons in that catchment area.
“The motto of the Ministry of Health is to deliver healthcare services equitably…we at the level of the Ministry of Health, it is upon us to ensure that health-care is dispensed equitably throughout the length and breadth of Guyana.”
He stated that the Health Ministry will seek to host outreaches to bring other services to communities that are not offered at the health centres, such as eye care.
Surojdai Ramsammy, a resident in the area, said she is happy her community will now have a more reliable access to health services.