Random checks to be done at health centres to determine service quality – Health Minister

…point-of-care testing to be introduced

In order to gauge the level of service provided at health centres and respond to complaints from the public, random checks will be ongoing at these facilities to have a first-hand view of the operations.
Announcing this measure was Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Friday, in ensuring that health posts are functioning as they are intended and patients get the level of service needed.

“One of the things we want to do is random checks at our health centres because from time to time, there would be complaints from people that the health centres are not functioning as they should. A random check to the facility would give a first-hand impression of what takes place there on a daily basis,” he detailed.
More importantly is the fact that through checks, areas which need improvement could be identified and fixed. Some facilities have already been subjected to such checks in areas such as Mahaica, Cane Grove, Unity, Anns Grove, Kuru Kuru, Grove among others.
Dr Anthony identified that from recent visits, small improvements were needed to enhance the services provided.
“We will continue these types of visits. By and large, what we have found is that there are minor things that one may need to do at these sites. In some cases, there can be bits of equipment that we can supply. In other cases, they may have a drug that needs replenishment. These things, we can fix them very quickly.”
It was outlined that the Health Ministry is working to establish a better system for medicines to be readily available at all times, as well as point-of-care diagnostic testing in health centres.
“When people come and you have to send them somewhere else to be tested, it takes a lot of time. Point-of-care testing can help some of that time wastage because we’d be able to do some of the tests right there at the point where the person is interacting with the doctor,” he related.
In 2022, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government expended approximately $1 billion to upgrade primary healthcare facilities across the country.
In Region One, the Health Ministry executed work on 35 health centres and health posts, spending approximately $99.3 million. For Region Two, 24 health centres and health posts were upgraded for $99.9 million, while Region Three saw 31 health facilities being upgraded at a cost of $99.7 million.
In Region Four, work on 30 facilities amounted to $138.9 million, while in Region Five, 14 health centres were identified for upgrades totalling $46.9 million. In Region Seven, 16 facilities, at a cost of $99.6 million, were upgraded. In Region Eight, 22 facilities saw upgrades valued at $99.5 million.
Meanwhile, in Regions Nine and 10, 53 and 17 facilities saw improvements to the value of $99.9 million and $48.4 million respectively.