Emphasis needed on health in Berbice River areas – Councillors

Councillors of the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Democratic Council (RDC) are of the opinion that more emphasis is needed as it relates to effective

healthcare delivery in areas along the Berbice River.

Following a recent visit to these areas, referred to as Sub Region 2 of Region 10, a number of Councillors voiced their concerns over numerous issues which they observed. At the hosting of the statutory meeting of the Council recently, Councillor Antonio Hackett outlined that health centres in areas such as Ebini and Kalcuni were still not receiving potable water, among other issues.

“Every time I go in the Berbice River I get several reports…At Ebini, we have security guards working at the health centres without huts…Where would that person shelter or go, let’s say, when there is a downpour?” he asked.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian, however, assured that all the health centres in the Berbice River would have huts since this was outlined in the Region’s 2017 budget.

Hackett also pointed out several other issues involving vessels utilising the Berbice River.

“We have international vessels using the Berbice River and to my knowledge … these vessels should have a system to discharge from that vessel, all waste. In my knowledge also, when those oceangoing vessels leave the port, they have to be many miles out – deep sea, before it can do a discharge. These vessels don’t leave the Berbice River, so I’m beginning to wonder, where is the discharge going?”

According to Hackett, there is a serious threat to the health of the people in the Berbice River as he outlined that he planned to engage the relevant authorities on the issue.

Councillor Sandra Adams, who was also part of the team which visited areas along the Berbice River, noted that there were numerous concerns. She said the community health worker at Ebini has requested that a Medex be added to the health centre staff, since critical patients have to be stabilised and referred to another facility.

“It means that a boat got to get involved to take them to some place, and the cost is enormous. When there is an emergency they have to pay $30,000 one way to get to New Amsterdam Hospital and another $30,000 – that’s $60,000,” she said.

Adams, therefore, asked for the provision of necessary staff to perform relevant functions in cases of emergency. She also referred to deplorable working conditions at health centres, while asking the Council to be considerate in the delivery of health care.

“The health worker at Ebini said she almost end up getting sued because of a delivery on her clinic floor, because the tiles shift and a pregnant mother skate – it’s a good thing she had something to brace to…so let’s try to improve where we give delivery,” Adams said.

Meanwhile, Councillor Charles Sampson lamented that indigenous communities along the Berbice River have been taken for granted for years, while he urged the Council to “tighten up” administratively. He said the regional administrative arm for those areas was not functioning effectively.

“We spend a lot of money on health, and what I saw in the river is sad. Medex come out for a meeting, they shut down the health centre. What are we doing? Those people need more attention,” Sampson stressed.

Sampson also lashed out at health officials for not visiting riverine areas regularly. (Utamu Belle)