84 new healthcare professionals to boost services in Reg 1

Residents of Region 1 (Barima-Waini) can now expect improved health services, following the recent installation of 80 healthcare professionals.
These new healthcare professionals received their certificates during a graduation ceremony at the North West Secondary School on Thursday. Of the 80 graduates, 50 are now certified Community Health Workers (CHW) while 23 were trained as Nursing Assistants (NA) and 11 Operating Room Technicians (ORT).
Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley during his address to the gathering highlighted that for the first time, several areas in Region One will now have first-time access to their own healthcare professionals.
“Today out of this batch graduating for the first time in history villages such as Five Star, Tasawini and Eyelash will have their community health workers.”
He added that through Government investments, the number of persons being trained under the various health programmes has increased significantly.

“We moved from training four to training 50 right at home; we have moved from where we train two and three nursing assistants a year to training 25 of them at one go.”
Also present at the event was the region’s parliamentary representative, Collin Croal who stressed the importance of workers displaying positive attitudes when dealing with patients.
“Health workers, nursing assistants, professionals from the medical field. You are the heart of our healthcare system, you provide care, you provide comfort and hope to patients during their most vulnerable moments. Your work is therefore essential, not only to individuals’ lives but to the collective strength of our communities. A healthy population is a foundation of national development and you will be on the front lines, ensuring that the foundation remains strong.”

Additionally, the Minister highlighted some of the investments the Government has made over the years, which have since transformed healthcare delivery within the region.
“We have constructed five new level one facilities at Barabina, Imbotero, Khan Hill… We have upgraded several health centres and for example, the Baramita Health Centre is now upgraded to a cottage hospital.”
Minister added, “The health post has been upgraded to a health centre. There are now three hospitals with X-ray services. And the laboratory services are available for the very first time here, at Kumaka and Port Kaituma hospitals.”
Meanwhile, Director General of the Health Ministry, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo highlighted how the healthcare sector has seen significant transformation over the years.
“The Ministry of Health and with the regional budget, we would have had, in capital investments alone, about one and a half billion dollars being spent. In 2022, a hundred million came on the instructions of the president. A hundred million came out of your budget, out of the regional budget, to fix facilities because the facilities were not up to scratch. In 2023, over two hundred million came. And in 2024, another five hundred million plus came to the region so that all the facilities are fixed.”