Primary Health Care a Must for the Health of a Nation

Wednesday, July 05, 2000 – While on a one – day visit to the island on Tuesday July 04, 2000, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Sir George Alleyne noted that unless there is a good primary care system it will be difficult to maintain adequate health care provision throughout the country.  “A good primary care system has to be the basis for good health care provision. A primary care system is not necessarily in contradiction to a tertiary care system.  Both things are important for any country.” 

Sir George Alleyne made these remarks during his visit to the recently established Gros – Islet polyclinic, which although not yet fully operational, he observed, was being very well kept.  Moreover, he took the opportunity to discuss with the Minister for Health, Human Services, Family Affairs and Gender Relations, Honourable Sarah Flood – Beaubrun, the Parliamentary Secretary in the ministry Honourable Michael Gaspard and other health officials, the ongoing plans for health care in the country, with a view to strenghtening collaboration between the island’s health sector and the Pan American Health Organization in this regard.

In an official address during his visit, Sir George Alleyne emphasized that health care is important for the economic growth of the country.  And while the most advanced health services may be inaccessible to some persons, most of the health care education is really at the primary care level through nurses and community health aid persons.   “Some of these great advances - globalization, bio – technology, may not be as great for us because in fact, it might be the rich countries who have access to these technologies.  Most of the important health messages are not delivered usually by professional health educators, but by persons at the primary care level who are in contact most frequently with the patients and those with the possibility of transmitting messages much more frequently.  Much of the health care education is really in our hands.”

Sir George Alleyne’s health talks come at a time when the ministry is still going through its health reform process.        

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