1st batch of 23 to be trained as medical lab technicians in Reg 6

The Medical Laboratory Technician programme for Region Six was officially launched on Saturday at the Regional Health Services’ Boardroom in New Amsterdam, Berbice with the first batch of 23 students drawn from the communities of Orealla, Micobie, Skeldon, Crabwood Creek and Port Mourant.
Administered through the Health Sciences Division of the Ministry of Health (MoH), this programme would see students undergoing training for one year; upon completion of which, the pioneering students are expected to return to their respective communities to contribute to the further development of the health system.

In his feature address at the launch of this programme, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony related that, in the past, the health sector faced challenges in training relevant personnel, due to limited training spaces, vacancies, and salary constraints. With the kind of transformation ongoing in the health sector – especially in regard to advancements in diabetes testing and genetic sequencing capabilities — medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) are crucial in various areas across Guyana. He has, nevertheless, urged those entering the programme not to confine themselves to this training, but to advance their education in other areas of medicine.
“Once you start with the basics, you can be in one of the clinical labs that we have: you can be in blood banking, you can get involved in more specialized labs. We’re going to do a lot of work on infectious diseases, and if you have an interest in those, you can get involved,” he detailed.
Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Vishalya Sharma emphasized that the MLT Programme would be no different from the Pharmacy Assistant Programme, which significantly improved the operation of all pharmacies within the region.
“Importantly, any training that is done in the region is done after careful consideration and strategic thinking. As you would recall, the Pharmacy Assistant Training was done in such a way that we have built capacities at the primary healthcare level while, at the same time, extending the hours of operations at the Pharmacy in the region. In the same way, when this training is completed, we’re expecting no difference. We will continue to extend and provide services across the length and breadth of Region Six, ensuring that we cross every barrier and work 24 hours to leave no one behind when it comes to health care”, she detailed.
The Region’s Deputy Director of Health Sciences, Chandroutie Persaud, also encouraged the students to put their best foot forward and work diligently throughout the programme.