DRIVERS of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, numbering in excess of forty, gathered at Stony Hill for a capacity building workshop that was organized to enhance their skills sets and improve service delivery.
Hemish Aldonza who is the Transport Officer at the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly said the workshop focused on some key areas such as specimen sample handling, vehicle management policy and maintenance.
“We have quite a number of health facilities island wide so the service they provide is of utmost importance. As you know, the work that we do impact lives and we have to ensure that the drivers are knowledgeable and well-equipped with the skill sets that are needed to ensure that the ministry’s mandate can be fulfilled,” Aldonza said.
“I am hoping that after all this information has been imparted that the drivers will be able to use it to their benefit, because we have a very, very big ministry with a lot of departments and the work load can get very, very hectic. It is very easy for them to experience fatigue and burn out, and perhaps sometimes, in the absence of being properly trained, that can affect the delivery of their service,” Aldonza added.
Permanent Secretary, Ms. Jenny Daniel said that because of the vital role the Ministry of Health plays in the society, the importance of the capacity building workshop must be underscored. Addressing the drivers, the Permanent Secretary recognized that they were performing a tedious but highly significant role to the health sector.
“It is not because you are a driver and you feel that maybe your pay is not as big as some other persons …can you imagine a day when we have no drivers? Mail doesn’t get delivered, specimen doesn’t get delivered, supplies (not) delivered to the wellness centres,” Daniel said, noting that several things will stop happening on that day if the drivers do not deliver.
“As a result, we value you; we value the contribution that you make to the health sector, we see it as very important and this is why, we decided to have this workshop here today so that you can understand how you are seen within the ministry,” Daniel said.
The Permanent Secretary also encouraged the drivers to consider themselves as ambassadors for the ministry by paying attention to their general deportment and attire.