A 15-year global blueprint on women, child and adolescent health, which protects their physical and mental well-being and opens up economic and social opportunities, will soon be embraced by Guyana. This is according to Director of Maternal Child Health (MCH) within the Public Health Ministry, Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton.
The universal strategy with a 2030 windup focuses on nine core areas including: country leadership; health systems resilience; community engagement; humanitarian and fragile settings; accountability for results; resource and rights; financing for health; individual potential; multi-sectoral action and research and innovation.
The covenant targeting women, children and adolescent was scrutinised at the recently-held United Nations (UN) Secretary General Global Strategy for Women’s Children’s and Adolescent’s Health 2016-2030, convened in Bridgetown, Barbados
Dr. Hamilton, who is attached to Public Health Ministry, Ms. Lolitta Rebeiro, Senior Medex, attached to the Regional Health Services (RHS) Department, and Dr. Janice Woolford, Specialist Family and Community Health of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Guyana office represented Guyana at the forum.
The June 1 – 2 consultation was organised by the Regional Coordinating Mechanism for the adaptation of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health to the Latin American and Caribbean context.
The Mechanism comprises the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); the World Bank; the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) and United Nations Secretariat for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
The strategy envisions a world in which every woman, child and adolescent in every setting. Enjoys the rights to physical and mental health and well- being, has social and economic opportunities, and is able to participate fully in shaping sustainable and prosperous societies.
The Bridgetown sub-regional consultation was aimed at building synergies for the implementation framework which wants to end preventable deaths while simultaneously achieving health and well-being of women for the target group.
This strategy draws the road map not only for the survival the target group but to ensure that they are given the opportunity to thrive by having the conditions/ environment available to do so.
The sub regional consultation saw the participation of representatives from various public health institutions; the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and civil society from 18 Caribbean countries and Latin America. Also in attendance were First Lady of Trinidad, Reema Carmona and Kim Simplis Barrow, spouse of the Belize’s Prime Minister.