Regardless of the Healthcare Sector under consideration, the framework remains the same, they are either Primary, Secondary or Tertiary Care. In which, Tertiary Care represents the apex of the Healthcare hierarchy, where sophisticated surgeries and medical interventions are undertaken. Whilst Secondary Care, characterised by Emergency Medicine, could be lifesaving in nature. In contrast, Primary Care, underestimated by many, represents the most important of the healthcare hierarchy, providing the foundation, that epitomises preventative medicine.
In fact, Primary Care utilises a variety of evidence-based practices, which risk-stratify patients, with common chronic conditions. Where paramount in these chronic conditions, are diabetes and hypertension, representing our number one causes of mortality and morbidity. And it’s for this reason, facing such medical burdens, any Government of rationals, would invest in Primary Care, with a view to addressing such life and limb threatening conditions.
However, the unfortunate fact is, our Healthcare Sector, under this unimaginative PPP, has failed and continue to fail, in delivering investments in Primary Care. For the reality is, we have a Tertiary Care Hospital of sorts, in GPHC. Then there are several quasi-Secondary Care Hospitals, dispersed along the length and breadth of the country eg, West Demerara Hospital. But as it pertains to Primary Care, we are severely deficient, with our Primary Care centres, represented by archaic Health Centres.
Thus, evident from this narrative is, tertiary and secondary infrastructure development, albeit important, doesn’t represent a paramount need, required to develop our healthcare service. For our urgent healthcare needs lie, in Human Resources and Primary Care, along with investments in modern medical technologies.
Therefore, cognisant of these facts, one would’ve anticipated a 2024 budget, that target these shortcomings. That is, a budget that prioritised human resources and Primary Care development, along with modern medical technologies, required to furnish a first-class Healthcare Sector. But unfortunately, PPP, a party of clinical cretins, couldn’t escape their myopic political agenda, as they failed to develop constructive policies, to remedy the severe shortcomings in our Healthcare Sector.
For these represent the facts; 146 nurses resigned from GPHC in 2023, with more than 300 having resigned since January 2022. Further, GPHC has a shortfall of over 600 nurses, even as the Healthcare Sector as a whole, has a shortfall of over 4000 nurses. Then there is this reality, Health Centres burdened by high numbers of nurses resigning in recent years, which numbered 215, in 2022. Where similar statistics are evident with other healthcare professionals, namely doctors.
Thus, from the aforementioned, the conclusion arrived at is, our healthcare problems are one of a nonexistent Primary Care, deficiency of modern medical technologies, along with poor Human Resources management. Therefore, any government, albeit installed in this case, would’ve taken steps to address these shortcomings. Where such steps would include, but not limited to, a Human Resource Consultant to draft policies and guidelines, to better inform the management of our healthcare professionals.
And paramount to this, would be the urgent addressing of healthcare professionals remuneration and working conditions. Further, in addition to Human Resources investment, would be the need to urgently invest in Primary Care and medical technologies, in recognition of their deficiencies, and the important role Primary Care plays in preventative medicine. Preventative medicine, desperately needed to address our endemic of diabetes and hypertension.
Mark’s Take
But the reality is, PPP as an installed government, is more preoccupied with satisfying the needs of their friends, families and favourites. As a result, they are steadfastly focused on healthcare sector secondary and tertiary infrastructure development, despite this not being the most pressing need. However, this is the underpinning reason; infrastructure development will provide multi-million dollar building contracts for their friends, families, and favourites. Which means, the Healthcare Sector will continue its downward trajectory, since newly erected hospitals would be devoid of the necessary staff and technologies, to provide a safe and effective service. As a result, we will continue to have the attention-grabbing headlines, of patients dying in our poorly funded and poorly staffed, healthcare institutions.
Further, we will continue to be represented in the worst health statistics, from the World Health Bodies. Worst health statistics, with us having among the highest maternal mortality rates, in Latin America and the Caribbean. Even as, we have one of the highest rates of neonatal and infant mortalities, along with the lowest life expectancies in this hemisphere.
Where these statistics evidence a Healthcare Sector, crying out for Human Resource, modern medical technologies, and Primary Care investments. But unfortunately, such investments aren’t forthcoming, as the corrupt PPP would rather focus on secondary and tertiary infrastructure development, to satisfy their friends, families, and favourites, at the exclusion of us, the suffering masses.
