Technicians in training to better manage patients’ oxygen

IN A BID TO BETTER MANAGE THE DISTRIBUTION OF OXYGEN TO PATIENTS
25 PERSONS ARE currently undergoing a training course in Healthcare Technology
Management, the Health Ministry said.

“The core part of the programme deals with the management of oxygen because this is one of
our immediate challenges. And as you know, the reason for that is that we have COVID-19
patients in every single region, and if we don’t have the right way of managing the oxygen, then
that can be detrimental to those patients,” Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said during his
keynote address at the opening of a workshop at Duke Lodge, Kingston, in the capital, earlier
this week.
Management of oxygen is a life-saving expertise and has come into sharper focus in Guyana
with infections from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Healthcare Technology Management training, Minister Anthony said, is a collaborative
effort between his ministry and the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health
Organisation (PAHO/WHO), influenced by a recommendation from the global body’s Clinical
and Hospital Engineer, Lucio Brito.
Anthony said Brito conducted an assessment of Guyana’s district hospitals and concluded that
oxygen is being wasted at many of the healthcare facilities, as a high-pressure oxygen is being
used, which expends a large volume.
In his recommendations Brito advised the health ministry “…to identify people across the
regions, who can start training, making sure that they have the basic knowledge how to manage
(oxygen distribution). Once they are able to do that, we will see better outcomes,” Anthony
predicted.

He said upgrading programmes will be available for the current batch of biomedical technician
trainees which will go beyond oxygen management only.
Anthony blamed lack of maintenance for ruining some equipment and this and future
training will help their longevity and ensure the government gets value for money when
acquiring vital medical equipment.