Successes, challenges and future plans of LHC highlighted

By Utamu Belle

Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings has urged Lindeners and the rest of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to be appreciative of the efforts of Government in forging towards improved public health services. The call was made at the second public consultation of the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), held at the Egbert Benjamin Centre in Linden on Friday. Dr Cummings said the consultation was timely, stressing the Ministry’s mantra of ‘healthy people, healthy communities’ being enforced. Dr Cummings said it is Government’s national priority, through her Ministry, to deliver the best health services in Guyana with focus on strategic approaches, including accessibility to excellent care and healthcare practices. Minister Cummings stated that the consultation was a timely one as the Ministry strives to embark on a health sector reform in delivering quality healthcare.

“The Ministry has began a paradigm shift in the efficient and effective delivery of healthcare… we have a lot of things to put in place… so that we can move smoothly… I must underscore that the Ministry of Public Health focuses strongly on quality management and quality standards with an aim to provide all Guyanese with equitable and acceptable quality healthcare,” she said.

CEO’s Report

In delivering a review of the LHC in 2015 and projections for 2016/2017, LHC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Farouk Riyasat said the Board and management are obligated to at least once a year sensitise communities on available healthcare services. He noted that the LHC, which has a workforce of 630, also comprises sister hospitals: the Upper Demerara Hospital (UDH) at Wismar and the Kwakwani Hospital. Due to increase in demand, the CEO said the general outpatient clinic at LHC was extended from five to seven days per week, while he stressed the need for training and additional staff. He said a proposal has been sent to the Board in looking at daily 24-hour pharmacy service, to include weekends and holidays. This, he said, would require additional staff.

As at December 31, 2015, a total of 31,500 patients were seen at the LHC, including 26,000 outpatients and about 5500 inpatients. This year, the CEO said close to 200 units of blood were donated, and a total of 900 surgical operations were conducted. The LHC has a delivery rate of 950 per annum, with 20 per cent being teenage pregnancies and 27 per cent was attributed to caesarian sections and high-risk pregnancies. He added that 140 safe deliveries were conducted at UDH last year and 96 at the Kwakwani Hospital. Additionally, there were six stillbirths and two infant deaths recorded. Overall the hospital recorded zero maternal deaths for five consecutive years. Dr Riyasat stressed that to make meaningful reduction in infant mortality, attention must be paid to warning signs.

Issues at Upper Demerara Hospital

The CEO said there is need for more utilisation of the services provided at the UDH. He said although services such as a pharmacy, in-patient and out-patient, antenatal and post-natal clinics, gynecology, rehabilitation, emergency and critical care, among others are offered, people are not utilising services the hospital as they should.

“Many persons within the public domain are not utilising the services at UDH and I would like to encourage you to use that service”, he said.

The CEO stressed that with regards to the laboratory, there are some limitations with regards to training as well as issues with equipment. He noted that several infrastructural upgrades have been planned, while he urged health professionals to improve their attitudes and relationships with patients. Dr Riyasat also stressed the need for improvement at the level of public relations.

Improvements

Registering her disappointment, stressing that much more was expected from members of the public with regard to attendance at the forum, LHC Vice Chairman Valerie Sharpe-Patterson stated that the LHC is now in a better place as compared to a few years ago. She said the Board consists of concerned members, who are willing to ensure more efficient and effective service to the region.

“Two years ago, we had serious issues with drug shortages, not to say we don’t have, we still do… We had serious issues of doctors being absent, not coming to work regularly and other medical officials which hampered the efficiency of the service we offer to the public. We had issues with emergency ward and we also had issues with staff attitude. These were some of the things we dealt with at the level of the Board and I can see that there has been tremendous improvement in some regards and in others, there is still need for much improvement,” she noted.

The Vice Chairman alluded that new services are constantly added to the LHC, while she hailed its zero maternity rate over the few past years. She also expressed her hope of the consultation providing a forum for future improvement at the general staff and management levels.