Access to healthcare boosted as Waramuri village gets telemedicine centre

Waramuri Village in the Moruca sub-district, Region One (Barima-Waini) has received a boost to its healthcare capabilities, following the commissioning of a telemedicine centre there.
The telemedicine facility will allow Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Medexes in the village, to interact in real-time with patients and healthcare providers at different sites.
The telemedicine centre’s system is supported by audio and video equipment and integrated medical devices that allow healthcare workers to diagnose, evaluate and treat patients remotely.
In addition to a computer connected to the internet via satellite technology, the site includes a digital stethoscope, a pulse oximeter, an infrared thermometer, a blood pressure monitor, mobile ultrasonography, exam cameras and other equipment.
The centre is outfitted to offer the residents of Waramuri access to a wide range of specialised medical services such as ultrasounds, cardiology and oncology, among other services.

In his address to residents during a recent commissioning ceremony, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony disclosed that the facility will play a crucial role in combating chronic and non-communicable diseases, provide treatment for patients, and make necessary referrals for tertiary care if and when needed.
This, he posited, is part of efforts being made by government to deliver on its promise to improve primary healthcare across the country.
“We had a team here that already installed the system, so it is functional. We can talk to anybody in Georgetown, and the secret is, not only in Georgetown [but] you can talk to anybody in any part of the world,” he relayed… We want to train more hinterland people because as we expand and improve the services, we want more people from the community who we can train. They can come home and serve the community,” Dr. Anthony said.
In addition, the village’s Toshao, Vivian Edwards said the implementation of telemedicine at the facility will play an integral role in the expansion of administration of healthcare services.
“It is a great boost to the health sector here… as a people, as a community, as a region, as a country we know that we’re moving forward in also every aspect of life…Thanks to the entire government for bringing and providing this service,” Edwards expressed.
Expansion of telemedicine
The Health Ministry plans to establish at least 50 more telemedicine sites across the country to complement the current 25 sites in various hinterland communities across the country.
These telemedicine sites aim to bridge the gap between the hinterland and the coastland by allowing medical personnel in the hinterland to get real-time assistance from those working in Georgetown.
This programme was officially launched in Guyana in 2022 with four Amerindian communities in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) as part of the pilot programme. It was later expanded following an allocation of $1.8 billion in the 2023 National Budget.
Further, since assuming office in August 2020, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has injected over $100 million to upgrade healthcare centres in Region One (Barima-Waini).
In total, the Region has 51 health centres, most of which were rehabilitated or reconstructed, over the last three years, through funding from the Health Ministry’s capital budget expenditures.