The Ministry of Health’s Medex programme is celebrating 30 years and to mark the occasion the Ministry and the Pan American Health Organization organized a two-day conference.
The Conference was de-clared opened yesterday at the Grand Coastal Inn, East Coast Demerara, by Dr. Roderick King of Massachusetts General Hospital. The Conference is being held under the theme “Reflecting on 30 years of experience-1977-2007” and will conclude today. During the opening ceremony, Dr. King congratulated the Medexes present from all ten administrative regions on a job well done over the past 30 years. Dr. King said he is aware of the challenges that face those Medexes who serve in the hinterland regions but noted that despite the challenges they should not be discouraged since it’s all for a worthy cause. King reminded the gathering that being a medex goes beyond providing health care; their services help to shape the lives of persons in the community.
“Most often than not the services provided by Medex are overlooked”, Dr King said. He further challenged those present to pay more attention on the quality of services they provide and not the quantity. The challenge was also thrown out to the gathering to continue to pay attention to medical education since according to Dr. King the dynamics of medical science is forever changing and keeping abreast with developments is the only way forward. Participants were also challenged to strengthen community participation which is necessary in the effective delivery of any community service. The participants were further urged to practise good programme management.
Also too on the occasion, the Ministry of Health and PAHO will be honouring Medex Harrychan Ramu who has served for the past 30 years. Ramu told Stabroek News he has been a part of the Medex programme since its birth and has served in almost ever administrative region. Some communities in which Medex Ramu served include Leguan, Mahdia and Berbice, and at almost every health centre in Region Three. Ramu said despite the many challenges that Medexes faced in the past they have indeed achieved what they had set out to achieve. Looking back over the past 30 years Ramu said the most difficult challenge was trying to move away from the “dispenser practice”. “Before the Medex programme was introduced we were seen as dispensers who deal with the curative aspect
