Maternal, child health services in Region Three get equipment boost

The Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three) has received $20M in medical equipment to boost its maternal and child health services, through the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). It was disclosed that the project was developed in 2017 to support and improve maternal and child healthcare in Guyana. It was noted that the country is among those with the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the Caribbean.

“When the project was first conceived, they looked at Region Three, Region Nine and Region Four as the regions where we need to boost the maternal and child health services so having done the initial assessments, they recognise that some of these things would be required at the health facilities, and that is why we spent quite a lot of money in procuring these things,” Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said during the simple handover ceremony. The minister said that some of the equipment include scales, examination stools and gynaecology examination beds. Dr. Anthony disclosed that these will be sent to the healthcare facilities that are most in need, as well as areas that are ‘population centred.’ This way more persons can benefit from these improved services.

Minister Anthony noted that training will also be provided to healthcare workers so that the equipment can be appropriately utilised. “If there’s a need for training on any of the equipment that we have given I think some of the contracts that we have come with that type of training so we want the staff here to make sure they utilise the equipment in the right manner as prescribed by the manuals that are here,” Minister Anthony explained.

The minister added that the medical items are the first batch of equipment to be delivered and distributed to maternal and child healthcare facilities in Guyana.