Some 31 health workers from all ten administrative regions of Guyana were on Saturday last presented with certificates at Moruca, Region One (Barima/Waini) after they successfully completed an 18-month Community Health Workers (CHW) course.

Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy who delivered the feature address at the graduation said, according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, that health workers had contributed significantly to the delivery of basic health services and encouraged the graduates to follow the example.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Rudolph Cummings, in his message, admonished the graduates to familiarise themselves with their respective communities and urged them to consult and listen to elders and leaders in their respective communities, the release said.

The release further stated that Resident Lecturer, Esmae Semple, in her report, noted that the students had shown great commitment to the programme by overcoming the many hurdles, including limited electricity, inadequate water supply and a late start to the course.

She said that the course was introduced in an attempt to deliver health care to riverain communities and the main objectives were to foster team spirit and to provide opportunities for sharing and caring, which were necessary for workers of the profession, the release added.

The students were coursed in Principles of Health, Organisation of the Health Care Delivery System, Roles and Functions of the CHW, Nursing Procedures, Environmental Health, Personal Hygiene, Basic Anatomy and Physiology, Developing a Community Profile, Health Education, Maternal and Child Health, and Nutrition.

Rodwell Reece and Nalini Delon were adjudged best graduating male and female students respectively, while Remington Adrian was the most improved student and Lenny Moses the best all-round student.