To better understand the roles of other medical professionals, healthcare workers were on Wednesday facilitated in a workshop to build collaboration between these stakeholders to improve the health sector by learning from them.
PAHO representative, Paul Edwards
The two-day workshop was facilitated by the Department of Medical Sciences and saw participation from the Pan-American Health Organisation. The aim is to embark upon an Inter-Professional Education and Collaborative Practice in Guyana.
Inter-Professional Education (IPE) is generally defined as two or more professionals learning about each other’s practices to improve health outcomes. This will materialise throughout the engagements to develop a practice-ready workforce.
Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence
Representative of PAHO, Paul Edwards recognised that a fragmented healthcare contributes to the inability to service all medical needs. When individuals discuss their work with other persons, it also helps with leadership and the ability to digest new ways of addressing problems. Furthermore, the prevalence of complex health complications requires input from more than one professional.
“Many health systems throughout the world are fragmented. That is a fact also here in Guyana to a certain extent and therefore struggle to manage on health needs. Present and future workforce are tasked with providing health services in the phase of increasing complex health issues,” Edwards reiterated.
Meanwhile, Dean of the Medical Sciences Faculty at the University of Guyana, Dr Emmanuel Cummings stated that the institution has somewhat implemented joint collaboration between different medical fields.
“Each healthcare professional is given an opportunity to show his or her work and importance because each one of them do contribute in their own way, in their own speciality, in their own training to universal healthcare coverage,” the Dean highlighted.
Bridging the gap between these healthcare units requires data to prove that it is indeed working. This was shared by Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, who insisted that preparations must be made for the oil industry and the demands which will be presented.
“The health sector has a dynamic role to play as our country prepares for the economic thrust that will soon take place with the advent of the oil and gas sector. The faster we incorporate and implement IPE into our health agenda, the better positioned our health sector will be to respond to the demands that are upcoming in our society.”
The Minister added, “We must remember that our ultimate goal envisions universal health coverage for all. Everyone, everywhere with no one left behind, and it is my belief that we can draw up the competencies inherited in each health discipline. Then we will be able to maximise our resources to provide a comprehensive health package.”
Guyana has submitted proposals for the implementation of an IPE action plan. It is one of 19 countries within the region to acknowledge the benefits of these partnerships.
