12 Direct Observed Treatment workers graduate as Community Healthcare Workers: Guyana MOH

Georgetown, Guyana: The Ministry of Health’s Health Sciences Division, in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis Department of the Ministry of Health hosted a graduation ceremony for a batch of twelve officers from regions three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and four (Demerara-Mahaica), who completed the course and graduated as Community Healthcare Workers.

The ceremony was held at the Windjammer Conference Room in Kitty, Georgetown on August 4, 2023.

This batch of DOTs workers was chosen to be trained as CHWs since they were community-based and promoted health education in the various communities they serve, according to the update shared by MOH Guyana.

Their training which commenced last November lasted six months and included training in areas of First Aid, Vector Control, Environmental Health, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Anatomy and Physiology, and Elderly Health, among other areas of mutual interest.

With the addition of these CHWs, they will aid in the enhancement of providing quality health care within the areas they serve.

It further added that while congratulating the graduates, the Manager of the National Tuberculosis Programme, Dr Jeetendra Mohanlall, indicated that statistics over the years have shown that Region Three is the second-highest region with Tuberculosis (TB) cases, while Region Four stands at number one.

“Region Three was about fourth in terms of TB cases, and Region 10 was the second highest. Region 4 is the highest-burden region because of population. 50% of our TB cases are from here (region 4). This did change over the years; however, region 10 was able to move from the second-highest burden region down to number four, and Region Three up to number two,” he explained.

The Ministry of Health also stated that Dr Mohanlall added that between January to June of this year, Region Three was able to obtain over 80 percent of successful treatment for TB cases, while Region Four was able to achieve 60 percent.

“With the last cohort of analysis from January to June last year, patients evaluated between January to June this year were actually in the top four regions with TB success rates. You work to come up to the top, region 3, in the top 4, achieving 80 percent and above treatment success. Region Four, moved from 70 percent and over during COVID, coming down to the 60s,” Dr Mohanlall stated, as per the official update.

Among those present at the graduation ceremony were Direct Observed Treatment Short Course Coordinator, Dr Neil Trotman; TB/HIV Coordinator, Dr Quacy Grant and Health Education Officer, Ms Petal Gordon.