The Vector Control Services Unit of the Bartica Regional Hospital
caters mainly to malaria patients and other vector related illnesses.
For some time, the staff of the unit were operating in a facility
cramped for space, in the hospital compound.
Just recently, the area was refurbished at a cost of more than $3M to
alleviate the situation. Also, included in this refurbishment was the
addition of equipment, waiting areas, office space and staff
workstation.
Regional Health Officer (RHO) of the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region, Dr.
Edward Sagala has indicated that this was something pending but
eventually completed and welcomed by the staff. It would now be of
great benefit to both patients and health care personnel in the
diagnosis of malaria patients.
“It is an ideal environment for the staff to now work and patients who
come in bad conditions. Patients don’t have to be immediately admitted
they can start treatment here,” the RHO said.
The purchase and installation of new microscopes among other
improvements to the unit’s internal infrastructure will also allow for
microscopic testing for vector related illnesses and the provision of
timely results for further medical interventions.
Additionally, a monitoring and evaluation team is also in place at the
unit to track cases and gather information regarding the work done by
the unit.
“Most of the work happens in this area, the monitoring and evaluation
team is also based here and they schedule visits and travel not only
to riverine areas but also areas throughout the region, lower, middle
and upper Mazaruni,” Dr. Sagala noted.
By: Delicia Haynes
Image: Jules Gibson
PHOTO CAPTION
DSC_0261 – Staff of the Bartica Regional Hospital’s Vector Control
Unit utilizing microscopes in the newly refurbished space
