January 23rd 2023
Public Health Primary Care heads meet with CMO
by Julita Peter, Ministry of the Public Service
THE MEETING FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING GAPS FOLLOWING AN ASSESSMENT OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS.
Heads of Public Health Primary Care Departments of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, met for their first face –to- face meeting for 2023, on Monday, January 16. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George, who chaired the meeting described it as “an implementation meeting.
The meeting concentrated on implementing the main areas where gaps were identified, following the completion of an assessment of the island’s primary health care systems. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar- George noted that as a result of the COVID-19 circumstances, some of the island’s primary health care facilities had to be converted to respiratory clinics, along with the suspension of some primary health care services.
“We’ve had data from our behaviour risk factor survey on reduced screening happening within our communities; we also note some of the risk factors where you have persons eating less healthily, less exercise, and we are seeing in our numbers where we have lower numbers within our communities of persons who are controlled both in terms of their blood pressures and blood sugars. So we are working together as a team-if you notice our nutrition officers, health educators, Heads of Chronic diseases, pharmacy, etc., in terms of implementing our programmes, strengthening our community care; we know the importance of preventative health,” she said.
The Public Health Primary Care implementation meeting also provided an opportunity for the Chief Medical Officer to update her team on the ministry’s budget priorities and policy initiatives.
“We want to ensure that all our internal stakeholders, all of our health care workers are aware of the various programmes that are being given priority by the government,” Dr. Belmar-George said. “So it is an intense meeting, we have all of our various Heads today. We will be working together to ensure that we use the full team approach in the implementation of our programmes.
The Chief Medical Officer said the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs will be implementing various plans at the community level, aimed at encouraging healthier lifestyles.
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