Hazard emergency management simulation staged in Bartica

Following the initiation of a national Multi-Hazard Emergency Management Plan, the Public Health Ministry has embarked on a simulation exercise aimed at assessing the efficiency of its systematic approach to disaster control in the gold-mining municipality of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni).
The four-day activity provided a training opportunity for 25 medical practitioners, caregivers and other stakeholders to aid in accident aversion and disaster management, given the many hazards associated with the mining industry. It also allowed the Ministry to test its newly-designed plan for emergency management by creating scenarios which would employ the strategies outlined in the proposed plan.

Addressing the participants during the training was Region Seven Chairman Gordon Bradford, who commended the Ministry for its investment in ensuring the safety of those within the Region. The Regional Chairman also urged the 25 participants to take full advantage of the training opportunity.
Bradford pointed out, “Once you understand something, you are better able to respond. Your early and timely response may very well save lives or more destruction”, as he explained the importance of such an initiative to his Region.
Also speaking at the session hosted over the past week was Deputy Regional Chair Olinda Kyrenhoff- Griffith, who shared the sentiments of his superior.
“I would say that the training was much needed. Things were done in the past, but we hadn’t a functional structure in place. Now, all the agencies will be able to better respond if a crisis or disaster hits the region,” Kyrenhoff- Griffith noted.
The Deputy Chair further highlighted the significance of such efforts, stating it was “an opening to make stakeholders understand their functions in a health situation. Health involves everyone and not just the hospital administration”.

Meanwhile, Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Preparedness and Response Manager Sean Welcome underlined that the Regional Multi-Hazard Preparedness and Response Plan (RMHPRP) outlined how regional authorities and stakeholders should conduct Disaster Risk Management (DRM) within their region.
The plan details an all-hazards/comprehensive approach to the DRM, Welcome explained. As facilitator of the exercise, Welcome said that Barticians would benefit in many ways from the implementation of the plan.
“Generally, it provides them a structured and coherent and collaborative framework that facilitates better/enhanced DRM in facilitating timely response, detailed and accurate damage assessment,” he said.
Moreover, the Preparedness and Response Manager posited, “I believe I was able to achieve the objectives of the four days. The manifestation of this achievement is the quality of input from the participants during the (simulation) exercise; the demonstration of learning and the transfer of knowledge.”
These speakers were backed by a series of professionals, including Kelwya Yaw, Head of the Bartica Fire Station as well as Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Edward Sagala.
This simulation exercise to test the impact of the Multi-Hazard Emergency Management Plan was as a result of a collaboration which saw the Public Health Ministry partnering with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) and CDC.
Stemming from this initiative, the Ministry is now confident in the strategy employed to avert and control disaster in a hazard-prone region, and was able to increase the capacity of citizens to execute the regulations outlined in the newly-designed strategic approach.