Fourteen US Peace Corps Volunteers will now be working with local health professionals to boost health care delivery to the residents of four regions – Two, Three, Six and Ten, GINA said yesterday.
The volunteers were addressed yesterday morning by Public Health Minister Dr. George Norton who stated that they will be working with local health professionals in the areas of maternal and child health, adolescent and mental health and chronic diseases.
Over the years, the Peace Corps’ areas of focus with the public health ministry have included life skills for healthy behaviour, youth, sexual and reproductive health and maternal and neonatal care.
“I am happy that you will be in the regions … I know the Peace Corps has developed a reputation in the public health system with their development of school health clubs which focus on HIV/AIDS adolescent health and especially teenage pregnancy,” Dr. Norton was reported as saying.
The Minister advised the volunteers that, “teenage pregnancy is a problem here in Guyana and we would really like to get it controlled and as a result we welcome any help we can get in that area.”
The Peace Corps was established by U.S President John F. Kennedy in 1961.
