| The importance of partnership was recently emphasised by Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy as an essential ingredient for the provision of quality health care, although the local health sector has been making considerable strides in this regard.The minister’s remarks came during last Thursday’s launch of the US 4.4M National Public Health Institute (situated at the corner of New Market and Thomas Streets), which he noted could not have been possible without the assistance of the United States President’s Emergency Programme for HIV/AIDS Reduction (PEPFAR).According to the minister, the introduction of buildings and technology represents to the people of Guyana and any country the type of service that they can look forward to.“We wanted a building that would be designed differently, that would be of a standard that is different, and to say to the people of our country that the health sector has turned its back on poor service, poor quality information, and that we have now reached a different era, in fact a different age.”The minister pointed out that Guyana stands proud as a country that offers its people free health care, a feature he believes is offered in only one other country in the world.He, however, pointed out that while providing free health care may be an achievement,Wholesale Authentic NFL Jerseys, it is another undertaking altogether to ensure that health care service is meaningful and can be beneficial to people.“We would have to invest if we are going to provide quality health care for the people. In 1990, we were investing US$6 per capita in health care for our people; in 2008 we are investing US$78 per capita.”According to Minister Ramsammy, such an achievement for any country, particularly a poor country, is not only worth noting, but is a move that should be commended since it represents more than a 1000 per cent increase.“When we look at the services we need to provide, US$78 per capita cannot provide the services so we can achieve our targets of preventing all preventable childhood and maternal deaths, ensure that all of our children are immunised against all the vaccine-preventable diseases; that our children have proper nutrition; that they can grow up to become healthy, productive adults; that our young people learn positive lifestyles so that they do not leave themselves at risk for sexually transmitted infections such as HIV,Cheap NFL Jerseys, syphilis and HTLV; so that malaria can be prevented, filaria eliminated, and to ensure that when people come for surgery they can get quality attention and receive safe blood.”As such, the minister speculated, the question that may often be asked is “why have we been punished so that we cannot have all of the resources?” even as he offered the more fitting question of “why not?”And this is what Guyana did, the minister divulged,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, at which point answers were discovered. These answers, he said, were found to be in partnerships.“We may not have all the resources, but if we could mobilise a partnership we can get close to providing those services through partnerships with PAHO and WHO, Global Fund,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, the Governments of the United States, Canada and the European Union and collaborating countries such as Brazil, China,Supply NFL Jerseys, India and Cuba.”It was these partnerships, the minister said,Cheap Jerseys, that made a difference before PEPFAR started to render its assistance.He disclosed that PEPFAR has been one of the most innovative partnership and developmental programmes.The minister said it was in 2001 that it became obvious that the only way the globe could confront HIV was by the development of a martial plan, which came in the form of the US Government’s Emergency Programme for HIV/AIDS.Ramsammy charged that Guyana must not be shy in acknowledging free development efforts which will stand the challenges of time.“When history is written for the 21st century, PEPFAR will stand out as the truly milestone developmental initiative and one that made a difference to the world. The fact that now millions of people are on treatment, the fact that millions are being tested, the fact that laboratory facilities around the world have been improved, the fact that health sectors are better throughout the world, is because of PEPFAR,” the minister asserted. |
