Region 1 to get improved maternal, child health services with training of CHWs

Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Region One (Barima-Waini) will benefit from a two-year maternal and child health training programme that is geared towards providing quality healthcare services to pregnant women in the region.
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley said the Administration is answering the pleas of pregnant mothers who have to go out of the region for the specialised care.

This improved service will also form part of Government’s efforts to achieve zero maternal deaths, in keeping with the goals set out by the United Nations. It will also improve primary healthcare services in that hinterland region.
“We have heard as a region, the cry of the communities, not only at Santa Rosa, but across Moruca of what our mothers face when they go to Region Two at Suddie or Charity, and so our Government, being a visionary Government, has put sufficient resources in place to have the infrastructure and also the human resource in place to deal with this particular issue,” Ashley explained.
The Regional Chairman said the Administration will soon be churning out more qualified medical staff from several training programmes.
In 2021, the region received its very first training centre at Central Mabaruma for persons interested in becoming CHWs. The facility has two furnished classrooms, one smart classroom, administrative office space, air conditioning, as well as a furnished sitting area.
“We are hoping that training programmes will move on from us training our nurses or what we call registered nurses. We would also be training midwives right in the region in the forthcoming future. Also, we will be training laboratory technicians, environment health assistants and other career paths in health right here in the region,” Ashley said.

The region’s health sector has seen significant improvement. The Chairman said this was due to the holistic approach and determination to provide equal access to Government services.
Last year, several batches of new CHWs graduated from a 14-week training programme, which is piloted by the Ministry of Health. Apart from their usual duties at health facilities, CHWs, usually work to enhance the communication between community members and healthcare providers.
At one of the graduation ceremonies in August 2021, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony encouraged the CHWs to continue advancing themselves in the area of health with the educational opportunities being provided by the Government. He had noted that while the training programme has prepared the CHWs as health police and ambassadors in their communities, this is only the start.
“The Government, Ministry of Health has numerous training programmes taking place at the moment, and here are other opportunities with GOAL to further your studies, and we want everyone to have that opportunity to advance themselves and develop their own communities.
“We have plans to expand the regional health services to treat chronic illnesses and provide mental healthcare services as well, so there are those areas as well.”
Meanwhile, in order to better improve healthcare delivery in the Barima-Waini region, the Mabaruma Regional Hospital is currently being retrofitted under the Smart Hospital Project.