The Ministry of Health yesterday opened a new health centre in the community of Chesney, Corentyne to the tune of over $39m.
It is expected to offer services to over 2300 households – residents who previously had to travel to other communities.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony who delivered remarks at the commissioning yesterday stressed the importance of the facility as part of the ministry’s efforts to enhance healthcare delivery across the region and country. Anthony pointed out that it was the third such facility to be commissioned in the region for the year.
The health centre is equipped with a pharmacy, vaccination room, doctor’s consultation room, nurses station, kitchen and washroom facilities.
Anthony, at the location, pleaded with women to get tested for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which can cause different types of cancer as he explained to those gathered that early detection can prevent problems down the road and stated that their main aim is to not have any mothers dying during childbirth.
He then pointed out that although the ministry has been working to establish health centres with trained staff around the country, expectant mothers do not visit in their first three months of pregnancy. He said, “Sometimes even in the second three months you don’t see them coming, and then in the last three months then they show up and then sometimes when you check they have some issue or the other that you have to deal with.”
He continued, “We are happy even when you come in the last three months, but we want you to come and make sure that you take advantage of the full spectrum of services that you can have.”
Anthony stressed that the goal is to ensure that every pregnant mother gets an ultrasound “so that we can see what is going on with the child.”
He pointed out that health centres also cater to babies. “So we have vaccines that we will give for the first eighteen months.”
Meanwhile, he reminded that cancer has been one of the top contributors to the deaths of women. Breast and cervical cancer lead the list.
However, he stressed, that cervical cancer can be prevented, “this cancer is caused by a virus but we have a vaccine. The Government of Guyana invested in buying this vaccine. We want to make sure that every child between 9 years and 15 years can get this vaccine.”
The HPV vaccine prevents the development of cervical cancer, he stressed, while stating “We are now offering for the first time a test called an HPV test. If you have to go and do it privately it would cost more than $8000. We have negotiated the price with the providers and they have all agreed that they will do it for the government for $8000. We have a voucher available.”
He pleaded, “Go and get your test to see if you are infected and if you are infected, we can start doing something about it early or you can wait until the cancer develops and there are complications and we can’t do much about it. Please make use of this test.”
Turning to the new health centre, Anthony said that arrangements can be made for the blood samples to be taken at the new Chesney Health Centre and sent to the lab so as to ensure testing is done.
