Health ministry receives 33 laptops from UNICEF to boost data collection

The Ministry of Health on Thursday received 33 laptops from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), even as Guyana continues to move away from traditional paper-based data collection methods in all sectors.

The systems will aid in improving the ministry’s management of vaccination data as well as identify areas that are lacking immunisation, allowing the ministry to respond in a coordinated and timely manner and most importantly, reduce the risk of human errors in immunisation. UNICEF Representative to Guyana and Suriname, Nicolas Pron handed over the pieces of equipment to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony at the ministry’s head office, Brickdam, Georgetown.

Dr. Anthony noted that there is a need for data to be collected on time in Guyana and the donation will go a long way in helping the country’s efforts.

“It fits into the broader digital health strategy that we have for the ministry, right now, with another programme that is being funded by the government, we’re putting in telehealth capabilities in many of our hinterland regions.

“Telehealth, meaning computers, internet-enabled devices, and putting in the connectivity and training the healthcare workers to be able to use these different tools to enhance diagnoses of the patient,” he pointed out.

The health minister explained that these laptops will help the ministry understand fully what is happening in the various districts.

He expressed appreciation to the international agency for its continued support to Guyana’s health initiatives.

Maternal and Child Health Officer/Expanded Programme on Immunisation Manager, Dr. Oneka Scott noted that 13 laptops will be disbursed in the 13 immunisation districts, and 13 will be used by EPI surveillance officers in the various districts.

The remaining laptops will be used centrally to coordinate the efforts being undertaken.

Meanwhile, Mr. Pron expressed, “I am very pleased that the laptops are going to the fields where they are most needed, where the hardest-to-reach children and families are and it’s very important that we minimise the chance for human error in monitoring immunisation coverage.”