| By Nicholas PetersMoving forward should the new administration choose to adopt changes in public health policy, particularly with regard to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), their biggest obstacle would be budgetary resources.Executive Director of GRPA, Patricia Sheerattan-BisnauthThis is according to Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth in a recent interview with this publication.During the interview, Bisnauth revealed that her agency, in collaboration with the former Ministry of Health and the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA), was working on a Sexual and Reproductive Health policy which is ready to be presented to the new cabinet.According to the health professional, given that Guyana has recorded high rates of under-aged pregnancy, publicised cases of maternal/infant mortality and reports of deaths caused by poorly administered medical terminations of pregnancy, such policy could be useful in addressing serious problems which face Guyana in relation to reproductive health.Additionally, Bisnauth said that the policy would address the issue of family planning in Guyana, which she noted as being significantly low.“We have only a 43 percent prevalence of contraceptive use when it should be closer to 70 percent, which means we have a large gap in family planning,” said the GRPA official.There exists a large gap in family planning, said Bisnauth, which indicates a problem with relation to women being able to control pregnancies, including unwanted pregnancies. She said that due to a lack of family planning education and services,Seattle Seahawks Apparel Clearance, particularly in the hinterland and rural communities, there have been a number of unwanted pregnancies.In the case of Kamili Arjune, who reportedly died following an improperly done medical termination of pregnancy procedure, Bisnauth related that such a case indicated that the deceased did not have the “right information” with regard to the choices she had with her body. She said that in Arjune’s case, five months prior to her last procedure she had subjected herself to a previous one,Wholesale Jerseys China, which Bisnauth viewed as ill advised.The health professional related that the drafted SRH policy which she and others have worked on would address such key issues in maternal health. She added that said policy is also geared to address the administration of family planning services,Jerseys NFL China, sexual rights in terms of health care and adolescent health.“I think it is the first SRH policy in Guyana and from what I’ve seen it is one that relates to the century that we’re living. It is quite good news for Guyana that the country is forward looking, because these are difficult issues for people,” said the health professional.Moreover, Bisnauth said that the biggest issue with regard to SRH sector which the new government would need to face would be its budgetary resources, should the policy be implemented. She explained that since SRH issues are most prevalent in hard to reach areas like the hinterland, funding to get to these remote areas and maintaining the services would be taxing.However while Bisnauth contended that budgetary resources would be a factor, a more effective approach would be to open up to more partnerships that could address the field of SRH.“Key partnerships are needed to make this effective, because we outlined quite a few things (in the policy) and much of it has to do with money, but a lot of it also has to do with vision and management,China Jerseys Wholesale,” explained the Director.From the work she has done, Bisnauth related, that the new administration has to examine whether the health care system in all 10 Administrative Regions is functioning effectively. As GRPA has been a consistent partner with the Health Ministry,Cheap Nike Shoes Free Shipping, Bisnauth noted that a review of the training and type of training with health professionals needs to be conducted.“They need to review the training they’ve been doing and to ensure that there is accountability,” said Bisnauth. She emphasised that accountability is another important aspect of dealing with problems stemming from SRH issues.“They have all types of (health) systems in place but there isn’t that accountability,” she added.According to the GRPA director, for accountability to exist there has to be the right type monitoring methods in place so as reduce the fatal cases of maternal care.In the context of the cases of improper termination of pregnancies and maternal deaths, Bisnauth said that accountability is needed to limit such “disasters” from repeating themselves, since people’s lives are at risk.In a recently published article by this newspaper, newly-appointed Public Health Minister,Scarpe Air Max Scontate, Dr George Norton, said that the services of an increased number of well-trained doctors in the area of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, with the support of skilled midwives,Bobby Doerr Jersey, could be the solution to tackle maternal and infant mortality rates. |
