14/10/2024
Ministry of Health strengthens healthcare delivery, expands critical testing services
By Ministry of Health
In continued efforts to empower health-care workers and decentralize sexual and reproductive health services, the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs, through the Infectious Disease Unit and the Primary Health Care, Community Nursing Service Unit, recently conducted a five-day HIV and Syphilis Rapid Test Training Workshop. This initiative aimed to strengthen healthcare professionals' diagnostic skills, ensuring more accessible and timely testing services are available to the public across Saint Lucia.
Nurse Linda Berthier, the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Coordinator, explained the importance of this training. “What we’re doing is ensuring that health workers have the necessary skills and confidence to administer these critical tests accurately and efficiently. By decentralizing services, we are bringing care closer to the people, particularly in rural and underserved areas.”
Nurse Berthier further explained that the training combined theoretical instruction and hands-on practical sessions, allowing participants to apply their newly acquired skills in real-world settings. "The topics we touched on were crucial, ranging from technical procedures to maintaining non-judgmental attitudes during testing. It was a comprehensive approach to improving diagnostic capabilities," stated, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Coordinator, Nurse Linda Berthier.
Matthew David, Sexual and Reproductive Health Councilor, highlighted the broader impact of the training. "I know people still have concerns about testing, but with this initiative, we are better prepared to address them and continue to combat the epidemic effectively.
The success of this workshop marks a significant step forward in the Ministry's strategy to strengthen healthcare delivery and expand critical testing services across Saint Lucia.
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