Canada hands over remaining assets of PHSG

Source: Guyana Chronicle, 27th March 2008

THE final remaining assets of the Public Health Strengthening in Guyana project (PHSG) was handed over to Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy yesterday during a simple ceremony at the Canadian High Commission, Georgetown.

The programme was a bilateral project between the Governments of Guyana and Canada which was designed and implemented by the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) in partnership with the Health Ministry between January 2002 and March 2008.

The idea for a potential health project in Guyana evolved from a comprehensive CIDA review of its health sector in 2000.

Director of PHSG in Guyana and Canadian Society for International Health, Ms. Lori Jones in a brief overview of the project said over the past 15 years work was done in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and South America on projects dealing with strengthening of health systems.

Ms. Jones said the project addressed a number of key issues including the prevention, management and treatment of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted disease and tuberculosis and the development of a national health information system.

She said over the past six years, the team worked on several separate subject but intertwined activities including human resources development which mostly involved staffing and training; developing guidelines and manual; procurement and refurbishment of laboratories and some University of Guyana (U.G) classrooms.

Jones pointed out that a number of key staff positions were created and ongoing training was provided to persons including laboratory technologists, network coordinators, DOTS workers, health information system technologists and workers within the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) and National Tuberculosis programme.

The project was the first of its kind in Guyana that worked directly with UG to strengthen full secondary medical training by developing under graduate courses in STI, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, she informed.

When the project started there was no Guyanese specific national guideline or strategy related to the management of STIs, HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis or home care, she said.

Ms. Jones noted that documents created through the project either independently or collaboratively include the National STI strategy for Guyana, the National guideline for the management of HIV/AIDS infected and exposed adults and children, National Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Tuberculosis, DOTS manual and Guyana National home base care strategy and nursing guidelines for care in the home and community.

She added that many training guides and manuals were developed for each component of the projects.

The Director said apart from supporting research, the project also put a lot of money into purchasing equipment and supplies and refurbishing laboratories, clinics and other health facilities and classrooms at U.G.

In brief comments, High Commissioner to Guyana, Suriname and CARICOM, Mr. Charles Court said sustainability of the outcome of this project is a priority.

He alluded that an important determinant of the sustainability of the project gains is values placed on the achievements by those who stood to benefit including doctors, nurses and health educators and students.

In his address, Dr. Ramsammy said much has been achieved but too often grants and assistance do not result in sustainable strengthening of systems and building national capacity.

He noted that the PHSG has resulted in strengthening of the health system and TB programme is far stronger today than it was in 2000 or 2001.

Dr Ramsammy observed that Guyana has laboratory capacity to provide adequate diagnosis and in a position to further strengthen the system and the diagnostic capacity in all ten regions.

The minister also said the first guidelines of TB diagnosis and treatment were published as a result of this programme and an initial attempt to put together guidelines for pediatric treatment for HIV/AIDS also came from this programme and later through collaborative efforts, we now have Guyana National HIV treatment guidelines.

He pointed out that the home-based care manual utilized in Guyana was initiated through CHIA project in Guyana.

The minister said that the Guyana National DOTS programme which was put in place during this project is now a success and our health information system and patient management system similarly.

He noted that one of areas that remains weak is mental health and the single partnership in this aspect for a long time was the Canadian government and mental health is being transformed at this time.

Dr Ramsammy expressed his hope that there would be more opportunities to work together and acknowledge the significant relationship between the two countries.