GEORGETOWN, GUYANA 16 OCTOBER 2024—As Guyana continues to move forward with its Disease Elimination Initiative, PAHO/WHO supported the Ministry of Health in conducting a five-day integrated training among Malaria workers, HIV testers, and counsellor volunteers in Arakaka, Region 1. The training takes a Primary Health Care approach to bringing health workers to communities and mining camps, where these diseases are highly prevalent.
The integrated training aimed to equip primary health workers at the care level, and community volunteers with knowledge and skills on key interventions for malaria and HIV testing and care. The training focused on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, patient counselling, surveillance, and supervision.
PAHO and the Ministry of Health previously formulated an integrated service delivery model of care based on Primary Health Care Principles that was tested in Region 1. The strengths and limitations of the model were discussed with the MoH and Regional teams. A decision was made to launch the model in Arakaka, Region 1, to adequately address the need for comprehensive access to health services.
The training enrolled Volunteer Malaria Testers (VMTs) and Community Health Workers (CHWs) attached to the local Health Center, from the various communities in Arakaka. HIV Volunteer Counsellor Testers (VCTs) serving Arakaka were also enrolled in the integrated training.
The objective is to enable people in the communities to seek malaria and HIV testing, counselling and treatment services in a timely manner. All trainees were provided with malaria testing kits, treatment and reporting forms, along with HIV Self-Test and Rapid Tests, and Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) kits for HIV. Training included sessions on HIV diagnosis using Rapid Tests, counselling, treatment of uncomplicated malaria cases, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Frameworks.
This initial training and rollout of an integrated service delivery model in Arakaka is a game-changing approach to operationalizing disease elimination at a subnational level. Once the implementation is finalized in this region, further adjustments to the model will be made (if needed).
After the implementation of the model in Arakaka, consideration will be given for the expansion of this model in three additional hinterland regions to gradually reduce health system fragmentation by adapting an integrated approach. This will enable improving access to proven health interventions by the most vulnerable communities in the country. These field activities are supported by the Global Affairs Canada. PAHO/WHO remains steadfast in its commitment to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in advancing its Disease Elimination Initiative.
