WANTED! More Medexes

ALTHOUGH 36 NEW MEDICAL EXTENSION OFFICERS (MEDEXES) ENTERED
THE LOCAL SYSTEM RECENTLY, there is still urgent need for more. especially to service
hinterland communities, to boost healthcare delivery, said Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.
“We really need you urgently in the work force and urgently in the community. When we
designed this programme, it was with the intention that we can get to every single community in
our country, but to do that, we have to train more people and get them closer to where they need
to serve,” Anthony said.
The minister made the disclosure during his keynote address at the orientation class of the 2021-
2025 medex programme at the ministry’s nursing annex in Kingston, in the capital city. The
current batch of 36 come predominantly from hinterland communities and will return to serve
those areas when they completed the four-year programme, Rev. Dr. Noel Holder, Director of
the School of Nursing, University of Guyana (UG) reminded them.
“My hope is that having succeeded…you stay and give back (to) the developmental thrust of the
country. The sacrifice that is made is based on whether you would want to sacrifice at the end of
it,” Dr. Holder reiterated.

In invited comments student Vanavah Abrams said she “joined the programme because I wanted
to follow my dreams in the medical field, that was a part of what I wanted to do and I would like
to thank the minister of health for allowing us and giving us this amazing opportunity for us to
strive hard, because all of my colleagues they have passion in the medical field and we would
just like to thank him.”
Her colleague Shimron Ayaw was elated as a Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) “to
be here, it’s an honour for me. I’m very proud that the ministry of health has given the
opportunity to my fellow hinterland youths so it’s an opportunity that I always wanted. My

dream was to work in the health field and helping people is my passion, I really love it and I’m
very happy to be here,” Ayaw said.
Laura Carvalho from Potaro/Siparuni (Region Eight) shared similar elation.
“I’m so happy and excited and really anxious to start this programme and I want to thank the
ministry of health for giving me this opportunity because this has always been my dream and I
would like to provide every service I could give back to my community because I would be the
first Medex from my community and I want to go back to serve them.”
The health ministry sponsors the medical extension training programme executed through
UG. There are some 60 medexes currently serving across the country’s 10 Administrative
Regions.