The Lethem Hospital, Region Nine

Two decades ago, hinterland communities were the least included in the nation’s health care system, and hospitals and basic clinics were very few, if not, non-existent throughout Amerindian communities.

With the introduction of the specific hinterland development programmes, healthcare within these communities has undergone significant changes, in terms of providing infrastructure and adequately trained personnel.

Health centres/huts/posts

With the population increase in hinterland regions, health care infrastructure became more critical, and as such, government has ensured the availability of health centres in many communities. Where the erection of a health centre is not feasible, there have been health huts or posts established.

Chinese Landing, Five Star, Yarakita, Manawarin, Arakaka, Sebai, Kamwatta, Barima-Koriabo and Waikarebi are communities in Region One that have health buildings.  

For Region Seven, quality health care is accessible to residents of communities including Jawalla, Kurupung, Waramadong, Batavia, Fair View, Isseneru and Paruima.

The new Maikwak Health Center -North Pakaraimas

The over 100 residents in the community of Princeville, located in Region Eight, now have access to proper health care right in their community, following the construction of a health hut in 2013. This facility is equipped with a waiting area, malaria room, Community Health Worker (CHW) room, drug storage room, wash room and water storage facilities.

Other communities outfitted with health facilities in that region include Micobie, Maikwak, Kato, Kaibarupai and Kopinang.

A health facility in Region Eight equipped with drugs

Meanwhile, the health centre in the community of Nappi, Region Nine, is fully equipped, and in the case of an emergency, there is a radio transmission set that makes communication easy for the CHW. This centre serves the some 636 people residing in the community.

Communities such as Hiowa, Katoonarib, Aishalton, Fair View and Pai Pang, Karasabai, Achiwib, Shulinab, Sand Creek, Annai, Katoka, Sawariwau, Yupukari and Parabara, also of Region Nine are all equipped with similar facilities.  

Regional Hospitals

Gone are the days when seriously ill Amerindians had to be air-dashed to the city for emergency medical treatment, as government has gone further than just the construction of health huts and centres. It has focused on the provision of hospitals in all the hinterland regions.

Kato hospital, Region Eight

The newly built multi-million dollar hospitals at Mabaruma and Kumaka, Region One; Lethem, Region Nine; Bartica and Kamarang, Region Seven;  Matthews Ridge (Pakera) and Port Kaituma in Region One,and the Kato Hospital, Region Eight are just a few of the health institutions built to offer a wider range of health services to Amerindians.

Mabaruma Hospital Region One

There is also a state-of-the-art hospital complex being built at the strategic point of Port Kaituma, to serve the Matarkai Sub-district.

Training

Another major step by the Administration has been to continually train workers and develop training programmes for doctors, nurses, medics, and CHWs, to ensure that adequately trained personnel can man these facilities.

The continuous training of CHWs, who are considered as foot soldiers, because they are the first to make contact with the patients at the community level, has seen hundreds of such personnel being trained on a yearly basis.

A Community Health Worker (CHW) attending to a patient  at a health facility in Region Eight

The ministry further trained CHWs in microscopy, so that they can read malaria smears and thus be able to treat this disease, since it is indeed a challenge in the hinterland, given the huge developments occurring in the mining sector.

To further boost services, even though already being on the improvement path, the Ministry of Health has collaborated with the Ministries of Local Government and Regional Development and Amerindian Affairs, and other organisations to assist in medivacs for critically ill persons.